


In Plain Sight

by listyfox



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Gen, Original Character(s), rated for strong language and action movie type violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-08 00:35:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 51,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21226862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/listyfox/pseuds/listyfox
Summary: Five years after the Gundams were destroyed, rumors of an arms deal involving a secret super-weapon smuggled from L1 begin to circulate. The Preventers request that the Gundam pilots be the ones to investigate and intercept this potential threat, but what starts out as a routine investigation turns into a bizarre journey for Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy, when they suddenly find the weapon in their hands, and a multitude of factions in hot pursuit.Originally published in 2010 to celebrate GW's 15th anniversary.





	1. The Winner Tower

Contrary to pop culture, stars do not streak by when one travels through space. Not on short hops between colonies, at least, unless one made a sharp turn. Otherwise, the stars remained surprisingly stationary outside the windows of the rickety public shuttle that trundled between the moon and a colony in the L4 cluster.

Rickety was generous; the old shuttle creaked and groaned like its very structure was slowly tearing apart; from time to time there was the telltale hiss of escaping oxygen. The passengers were all decidedly nervous, clinging to each other in the flickering lights.

All but one. Near the back of the cabin Duo Maxwell slouched in his seat, asleep as soundly as if he was in a luxury liner.

He was a young man all of twenty, his boyish features finally giving way to a promising adulthood. His thin but sturdy frame was dressed in black leather touched with red and white, including heavy black boots and fingerless gloves. His sleeves were rolled nearly to his elbows; his rich brown hair was plaited in a shockingly long braid which was at the moment flopped over his shoulder. It was a startling enough feature to make people look twice when they saw him; but there was something about his posture and attitude which made him seem natural, in place right where he was, as if he had always been slouched in the shuttle seat and always would be.

It was a technique few mastered. The art of hiding in plain sight.

Despite his posture, the flight attendant still hovered over him a few long moments, trying to figure out the best way to wake him. There was something that instinctively told her that this was not a person you startled awake. "Um… um, Sir?"

He cracked an eye; a deep dark violet which took her in a moment before he blinked and straightened. "Yeah?"

"We're almost at our destination. Could you put your seat up please?"

"No problem. Wow. I musta been tired, huh?" He flashed her a smile, which she returned instantly before turning away. He straightened the seat and flipped his braid over his shoulder before peering out at one of the larger colonies of the L4 cluster. He sighed resignedly at it, fogging the window a moment. He had to be nuts.

The shuttle practically fell into its bay; there was a stampede for the doors which Duo waited out before getting up, throwing his bag over his shoulder as he headed out.

"We apologize for any inconvenience," the flight attendant was saying a bit hopelessly.

"No problem. Better than some rides I've been on," he told her cheerily as he headed towards the checkpoints.

The card he showed got him waved through instantly and he followed the signs towards the parking garage. People hurried past him in both directions, all busy, all with somewhere they wanted to go. Businessmen with eyepieces flashing the latest news across their corneas, families with children who skipped and hopped; a little girl dropped her teddy bear and Duo stooped to snatch it up and return it to her with a quick smile, hardly slowing his pace. People moving freely through space, between Earth and the colonies, peacefully and unencumbered.

He liked to think he had a hand in bringing it all about.

He reached the moving sidewalk and leaned on the rail, pulling out his smartphone and flipping through headlines briefly before checking his messages. "Blah, blah, blah," he muttered.

In the parking garage elevator he slid his card and tapped in the code, and it brought him down to the "VIP" level, where he slid his card again to get through one gate, and then through another where several vehicles stood stoically waiting.

There was just no question. He keyed a code to pull out the keys to the motorcycle that stood gleaming on one side. "What are you, a Ducati?" he asked it as he stowed his bag and revved the engine, spinning it around his foot towards the gate, where he flashed his card a final time to the waiting guard, who flashed him a thumbs up in return as he roared away.

This particular colony was one of the richest in the cluster, and gave the financial districts in L1 a run for their money for sheer opulence. Duo wove through wide streets filled with high-end luxury electric cars, past sparkling store fronts and the reflective windows of the tall office buildings. The people on the street were all fashionable and well dressed.

Duo didn't believe it for an instant. He had no doubt that for every fashionable pair of shoes and perfect hairstyle, there was someone who could barely afford the necessities of life not that far away. He turned one corner, than another, until he saw the building he was aiming for, rising above all the others, sparkling white in the filtered sunlight.

He was met by two men wearing blue and green jackets and carrying very large guns when he turned into the parking garage. "Take elevator two to the twenty-fifth floor," the one man told him when he showed his card.

"Thank you, Sir!" Duo called as he pulled away.

He gave the motorbike an affectionate pat and headed towards elevator two, which was carpeted and actually had a soft bench seat in the back, which he flopped down on after punching in his code yet again. Damned security. This was getting annoying! Soft music tinkled around him. Ye gods.

The doors opened to a carpeted hallway that led to a large foyer with a splashing fountain under a bright skylight. Several trees swayed in an artificial breeze. The floor was marble, columns flanked each of the four hallways that branched off from the foyer. There was a information station in one corner, a woman sat answering phones, she put a finger up as he came and leaned on what looked like an insanely expensive wood desk. After a moment of making some sort of appointment she looked up at him. "Yes, Sir?"

"Duo Maxwell," he said, unable to keep from glancing around. "I'm expected, I think."

She held out her hand a bit impatiently; he forced his eyes to keep from rolling as he handed her his id card. She handed it back to him after a moment of scrutiny. "You are," she said. "Right down this hallway, it's conference room B."

He thanked her with the customary smile; she just barely returned it before answering yet another phone.

He followed her directions to enter what looked to him more like a ballroom than a conference room, with a long table set up in the center. People were milling around, most of them in the green and blue jackets.

"Duo!" Quatre Raberba Winner was at his shoulder in an instant, a tall, handsome blond man dressed in an impeccable dark blue suit. "Oh, I am so glad you could make it."

"Quatre," Duo cried, yanking his old comrade-in-arms closer, not worrying with whether he was rumpling the expensive fabric. "What the hell is this?"

"What's what?" he asked, blinking, honestly not understanding. "What's wrong?"

"This…the fountain in the foyer and the marble columns and the couch in the elevator?"

"It's what's expected of an executive," Quatre told him, gently detaching himself. "You're a bit dusty. Did you take the motorcycle?"

"I did. But don't change the subject. Expected? Dude, last time I invited you to my place we had grinders at Sal's and went bowling."

Quatre grinned. "And I had a fantastic time. How is Sal?"

"Fine. He's fine," groaned Duo.

"I have to play the part, Duo. I have to do what's expected of me."

"Yeah, and next time just send someone to pick me up."

"You didn't like the Ducati?"

"It isn't that. It's that I had to show my i.d. about fifty times between the spaceport and here."

"Surely not fifty," said Quatre, taking his arm and drawing him towards the conference table. "I think you know almost everyone here?"

"Yeah," he sighed. Preventers, all of them. 

Lady Une stood from her place at the head of the table and leaned to extend her hand. "I am very pleased you accepted our invitation, Mister Maxwell."

Duo shook it briefly and sat down where Quatre gestured. "Well, I just couldn't say no to my old buddy," he replied with a smile he knew was tight. "But you know how I feel about all this Preventer stuff." The organization was growing at what he thought was an alarming rate. The Sweeper Group tried to work with them all they could but sometimes there was friction between the somewhat independent-minded Sweepers and the ever vigilant Preventers.

"Not all of us do, Maxwell," said a sharp voice right behind him. "Please enlighten us with your insight."

Duo couldn't help but smile despite himself. "I think you're getting too big for your britches. Hey, Wufei."

Chang Wufei circled the table behind Une so he could seat himself across from Duo and Quatre. "You really think that?"

"Hey, I'm just a little working guy in a big solar system," said Duo with a wave of his hand. "I calls 'em like I sees 'em. But don't get me wrong, I see the need. I just also see the need to be cautious, that's all."

Arms encircled him from behind. "He has a point. Hi, Duo."

"Hi, Sally." He petted her arm and threw Wufei a comical look before she released him. Wufei pointedly ignored them both.

"Now that we are all here, if we can all be seated," Une was saying. "We have a situation developing that can no longer be ignored." She flipped folders towards the various Preventers, including one for Duo, who threw a questioning look at Quatre.

"Let's cut right to it. There are rumors of a super weapon that has been secreted out of one of the factory satellites in the L1 cluster. The intelligence we've gathered is stating that there will be a sell off, possibly at L2-V18011."

"My people haven't heard anything about any arms deal in L2," said Duo, flipping through the papers. "And why in New Vegas?"

"Why not? It's a gambling and resort colony. People coming and going all the time. We are certain other deals have gone down there."

"Yeah, but drugs, usually," Duo admitted, pulling out his smartphone.

"Please," Une said quickly, reaching for him. "This is highly sensitive information."

"I want to know if my people know anything," he said, frozen in an attitude of turning it on. "I can do that without spilling anything."

"No, you can't. We believe this is an insider job."

Duo set his teeth. "Are you accusing the Sweeper Group of arms dealing?"

"No," said Quatre quickly. "No, but we do feel there are people possibly inside the Preventers and other organizations, including my own, who cannot be trusted."

"All my comrades can be trusted," Duo said lowly, meeting Une's unflinching gaze.

"We don't want anyone outside this room to know we suspect anything at this time. That is why this meeting is so small."

Duo laid his phone on the table. "I think that you Preventers are starting to see enemies in every shadow."

"It's better to be cautious in this case."

"What sort of super weapon?" he asked after a moment.

"We don't know. We just know that it's something developed for the war."

"Could it be a gundam?" Quatre asked.

"No. We believe it is being transported, and it is not a plan or model."

Wufei drummed his fingers thoughtfully on the table. "It could be a dirty bomb. Nuclear."

"Or biological," Quatre added.

"Or it could be a killer monkey," said Duo. "If we don't have the data there's no use speculating."

Sally grinned but Une's glare was positively withering. "We have to be prepared for anything."

"And therefore will be prepared for nothing," said Duo.

"Maxwell--"

"No, he's right," said Wufei. "There's no use pretending we're not going into this blind."

"Hopefully we won't be blind before the sale goes down."

"And when is that?" Duo aked.

"Three days, by all reports."

Duo groaned. "Why didn't you just tell me after the fact? It's going to take at least a week to move the Sweepers into--" 

"Did you not hear me?" Une snarled. "We're not using the Sweeper Group. Or the main branch of the Preventers."

"So who are you using?" Duo asked. When there was no instant answer, he looked at Wufei, and then Quatre, then shook his head. "No. No, no no. We are not soldiers any more."

"Speak for yourself," said Wufei.

"You aren't! We aren't. Une, don't tell me you want the Gundam pilots."

"You're the best at what you do, Duo," said Sally gently.

Duo scowled. They had done this three times previously in the five years since Duo had hit the button and watched his partner in crime blow to pieces. Three crises where "only the gundam pilots" could pull their asses out of the fire. The first one was fun, the second disastrous. The third time Duo had told them where they could put their precious mission, and refused to answer his phone for a month.

That's why Quatre was holding it here in at his headquarters. So Duo wouldn't realize what it was about until it was far too late. Those jerks. He had half a mind to get up and storm out, but a part of him wondered if they would let him go without a hassle and he wasn't ready for that yet.

"We have to help, Duo," said Quatre gently.

"Agents are meeting with Trowa Barton as we speak," said Sally.

It hung in the air. Oh, did Duo have to ask it? Fine, fine. He leaned back and crossed his arms. "My terms haven't changed," he said. "You refused to meet them last time, and I hear you just barely made it out alive. That's a real shame. A possible dirty bomb or biologic, huh? That's pretty grim, if it falls into the wrong hands. I bet these guys aren't the fooling around sort. Probably one of the big organized crime factions backed by ousted Romafellers." He looked at his nails. "I work with four men. Not two. Not three. Four."

Une groaned. Some of the Preventers glanced at one another. Wufei actually smiled. Quatre was still.

"Maxwell," Une began slowly. "You know that it is an extremely difficult request."

"Really? Where do you have him locked up now?"

"Nowhere! He isn't locked up!"

Duo leaned forward. "You want me to help you out? Then Heero Yuy helps too. Spring him, and send him to us."

"There's no where to spring him from! He's been free for over eighteen months."

"The incident on L3-X16455 was not his fault."

"If anyone's it was mine," Wufei admitted. "I had the responsibility to call for no weapons fire."

"You couldn't know the gas was still on in an abandoned warehouse," Quatre assured him.

"Hey, we got the baddies, didn't we?" Duo asked. "Those teeth we found identified them."

Sally turned her face into her hand. Wufei rubbed his temples and Quatre sighed. Duo held back the smirk. The explosion had taken out several blocks and knocked a hole right in the structural surface of the colony, damage that would have imploded an older, weaker structure. He remembered lying in the rubble, ears ringing painfully, a piece of his tibia sticking out through his leg, and then through the smoke seeing a figure slowly limping towards him --_from within the blast zone_\-- grim triumph on his face.

Duo had no idea what that man was made of but it was not human flesh and bone.

But there was a huge backlash and someone had to take the fall for the operation gone bad, and to protect the Preventers proper that backlash fell on the one who had actually fired into the gas-filled warehouse (why were they using gas on a colony with a residential section anyway?). There were inquiries and hearings and the talk of other, smaller, incidents with former OZ soldiers hassling a former gundam pilot and getting their faces smashed in for their trouble (won't do that again will they?) and questions about whether someone of his nature and background should even be allowed to walk free, and what to do with him if he wasn't.

Duo had only gone to _that place_ once. Pretentious bastards with their green gardens with the high walls and smiling orderlies with their carts of pills and frilly curtains over the barred windows and French doors with the heavy locks. It had made him sick and angry and Heero Yuy's calm acceptance made him even angrier; he had practically screamed at him in the middle of the gardens, calling him all sorts of names for not fighting harder for his own freedom. Heero had merely watched him with something close to amusement in his dark eyes, then told him quietly that he didn't have to come, if he didn't like it, that he would let him know when he was out.

Duo couldn't remember getting that message.

"Are you sure he's out?" he asked. "I hadn't heard."

"Neither had I," said Quatre, looking at Wufei.

"He wanted to go off the grid a while," Wufei replied. "I have a contact e-mail."

Duo took a deep breath to release any resentment those words caused. He understood about slipping off and not wanting to be found. He had done it himself before. Heero probably just realized that Duo may have tracked him down and come to see him (which he could and would have) the instant he got word he was free. Heero would have shown up when he was good and ready, Duo had no doubt.

There was a long silence. Une looked at Wufei. "Can you control him?"

"No," said Wufei. "But he's a reasonable man. He will listen to commands and obey accordingly. Personally, I feel that's more than can be said for Maxwell here."

Duo did let himself roll his eyes then.

"I think he would be a very welcome addition to the team," said Quatre. "Besides, if this weapon came from L1, he might know something about it."

"He was just a tool to J," said Duo. "He wouldn't have confided in him."

"He still may have heard or seen something."

Une looked at Sally, who shrugged. "You know how I feel about him."

"Look, if it goes bad you can throw me in the loony bin next time," Duo said with a wave of his hand.

"It was not a--" Une stopped and took a breath. "Fine. I'll hold you to that, Mister Maxwell. Now, as for your fee." Duo straightened as Une slid a piece of paper towards him. "As an independent contractor."

He unfolded the paper and squinted. He wasn't seeing it right. Those were way too many numbers. "You're kidding."

"And this is before the cost of the mission. We'll give you access to an expense account."

"That's…Wow, you really want me for this, huh?"

"We do," said Quatre.

Duo nodded. It was too much money. "Split this between me and Heero Yuy," he said. "You can call him my sub-contract."

"You sure, Duo?"

"Yes. So what next?"

"So," said Wufei. "We meet on New Vegas in thirty-six hours."

"I'll have info for you by then," said Duo. "And I'll be careful," he added as Une opened her mouth. "I'll only use my top, most trusted guys. But I'm telling you now Howard's gotta know the score."

"What about his niece?" Une asked with distaste.

Duo shrugged. The Sweeper Group's leader had suffered a stroke and though his mind was as sharp as ever, he was really still leader in name only. Duo and Howard's "niece" (he had no idea what their actual relationship was) pretty much ran the show, Duo doing most of the inside work and Howard's niece doing the high-profile stuff.

"She might have to be in on it. I know she's a bitch but she's the most trustworthy bitch I know. Who else knows?"

"The Vice Minister has been informed, as has the president."

Duo nodded, and looked back at the piece of paper. Half of that could buy him a nice little island somewhere warm. Or at least a nice house on an island. "Okay," he said. "You got yourself a gundam pilot."


	2. The Griffin

Some people scoffed at the theory, but there was no doubt that the location of the Lagrange points influenced the economy of the colonies. L1 and L4 were the sunniest points, the easiest to reach from Earth, and the first snatched up by the richest entrepreneurs. L3 was made prosperous by the Barton family, but both it and L5 varied in quality, from very rich to slum-poor.

But off behind the moon, L2 fared worst of all; out of sight and out of mind, a breeding ground of scum and villainy. It did have a its industries: it was the major launch point for Mars, it did have good mining and refining colonies, and it also had major resorts, particularly at V18011, which housed the largest casinos off Earth. But the majority of colonies were still as poor and run down as the days when a little Duo struggled to survive on the streets. And there were dark and dank corners everywhere.

For example, the district he was currently in, not all that far from where the Maxwell Church had once stood. Not even a monument marked the site of the massacre, there was a housing development there now, a plaque or something was on one of the buildings, but that was all.

Duo didn't really care. Shallow gestures of sentiment meant little to him, anyway.

He slouched in a booth of a seedy little dive, a cap at pulled down low over his eyes, his smile slightly sick. The man across from him he had known all his life, ten or so years Duo's senior, he had been and still was a career gang member.

The man took a long drag on a cigarette. Duo refrained from licking his lips as he watched; he was supposed to have quit months ago, but sometimes he wanted one so bad...

"Want one?" he man growled, tilting the pack towards Duo.

"The old lady wants me to quit," Duo replied.

"Old lady? Really. Who woulda thought?" He leaned forward; his face was scarred and twisted. "I always figured you for a little faggot," he sneered.

Duo worked hard not to twitch. "Yeah, well, you never knew me, Jake, and you still don't."

The man snorted. "So what do you want, Kid?"

"I want to know what the underground is saying about an arms deal in New Vegas."

The man leaned back then, giving him an appraising look. "Arms deal? In Vegas? You gotta be fucking kidding me. Who told you that shit?"

"Like I'd tell you. But I did hear something, and I'd like to hear more."

He snorted. "You Sweepers make sure there ain't no arms dealing around here."

"We try."

"Funny though, you ain't the first person who asked about it."

Duo kept the interest out of his eyes. "Who was that?"

"I don't remember."

Duo reached into his pocket and drew out a c-note, holding it in front of his face before dropping it onto the table. "You sure you don't remember?"

"Ah, it's coming back to me. Some Asian chick."

"An Asian chick."

"Yeah. I heard she was snooping around asking about weapons sales."

"Know where she is?"

"Somewhere."

Duo tilted his head. "Don't short-change me, Jake."

"Over towards Roxy's. I don't know anything else."

Duo flipped the note towards him. "Don't spend it all on booze and whores," he said as he stood up.

"What else is there?" grunted Jake. "Speaking of, let me know if you ever need some quick cash there, Kid."

Duo decided not to answer. He bumped a guy on the way out. One of his Sweepers. "Take him, hold him, treat him decent but don't let him talk to anyone," he muttered, and kept walking.

~

An evening at Roxy's proved fruitless. It was a seedy little place where you could get anything for a price, and though Duo bought drinks for several "Asian chicks," not one was the "chick" he was after, and he grumbled all the way to his little apartment, a small but sunny corner studio with two exits.

He was collapsed half-conscious on his pillow when his phone rang. He groped awkwardly for it. "Mmph, Maxwell," he muttered into it, then turned it on. "Maxwell."

"Are you hung over?"

"No, still drunk." He blinked. "Lex?"

"Yeah. I got something for ya."

"Really? Is it something that goes boom?"

Howard's niece laughed on the other end. "No, it's a location. The Titan Hotel and Casino."

Duo pushed himself up on his elbows. "No! Who did you kill for that info?"

"Thank you for saying kill. I did what you did, poked around some old contacts. It's very vague, and the guy was crying a lot so I'm not sure how reliable he is, but it's worth checking out."

"It sure is. You know I love you, right?"

She snorted on the other end. "Yeah, sure. When I'm good to you. Let me know how things turn out or if there's anything I can do, kay?"

"Just lay low, and keep rumors from filtering through the group. We don't want to tip them off."

"Of course not. Good luck."

He made a face as he keyed off the phone and turned it to flip on his e-mail. A quick note to Quatre. He would have his people hacking the hotel's databases within hours. He tossed the phone aside and rolled over. "Damn Jake and his Asian chick," he muttered.

~

In an hour, his phone buzzed again with an e-mail confirmation for a hotel reservation in his name. It was not for the Titan, but a smaller, cheaper hotel a couple blocks away. Check in was in three hours. He rolled off his bed and onto the floor, then scrambled up and began packing any clothes he might need and all his best equipment. He needed a shower. Forget it. Hotels have showers, don't they? He threw his hair stuff into one of the bags and lurched out the door. He decided against driving and caught a cab to the shuttle terminal. The Preventer issued card got him pushed to priority seating, but that was just about it.

Once on the shuttle he keyed in Lex's number but she didn't answer. Voicemail it was. "Hey, can you do me a favor?" he asked. "You still have my spare keys, right? Can you pick up my car and leave it in the Moonward terminal parking lot? I have my keys…I think…" he paused and rummaged through his bag to make sure before he continued. "Yeah I do. That would be awesome. Leave me a text with the lot number. Thanks." He sighed and leaned back.

New Vegas, as it was called, looked exactly as one would picture it. Blocks upon blocks of neon lights and massive structures, all in a perpetual night. There were sections of the colony where the sun shields were opened, but not on the main drag. The only lights were neon and LED. There were temples and skyscrapers and pyramids and other structures, and yes, there was one with massive plaster gundams guarding the entrance. Duo made a face at that one as he passed, wondering if that dark one was supposed to be Deathscythe.

He shivered a little and turned his eyes away.

The Titan was gorgeous in comparison. Roman columns graced the front, which was bathed in a multitude of colored lights. Duo eyed it as he passed and headed for the smaller, comparatively modest Griffon. He wondered vaguely if it was named after anyone.

"Maxwell," he sighed at the desk, passing over the gold card Quatre had given him before he left L4.

The girl there tapped the computer. "Ah yes. Here you are. Would you like extra keys?"

"No, well…maybe a couple," he sighed, rubbing his eyes. "In case I meet a friend."

"Long trip, Mister Maxwell?"

"Yeah, been traveling all day. I hope the gaming is worth it."

"Oh it is," she assured him. "I'd try the Monument, or even the Gundam."

He made a face. "Doesn't anyone think the Gundam is totally in bad taste?"

She nodded. "Lots of people. But their tables are unreal, and their breakfast buffet is supposed to be the best."

"I don't even want to know about the entertainment."

She shook her head with a laugh, passing him two key cards. "No, you don't."

"What about the Titan?"

She shook her head. "The Titan's casino is guests only, and the rooms are outrageously expensive…if you can get them at all."

"Really? I hear the poker there is really high stakes."

"That's what I hear too, but I've never gotten in."

"Never? Even working right in town?"

"Oh no. No one even gets in the front door of the Titan without an invitation or a lot of cash. Stick with the Monument."

"I'll do that. Thanks." He grinned and nodded, sending the room number in text message to Quatre on his way to his floor.

It was small, with a king sized bed and a few pieces of furniture. It was clean and comfy looking though. When he opened the windows he could see the Titan down the street. Limos and men in suits lingered around the fountain outside its doors.

There had to be a way in. Perhaps a service entrance? An underground route? Perhaps roof to roof? No, the roofs would be well guarded. They would expect that. Besides, he leaned to look and was fairly sure there was some big structure on the roof, a restaurant, perhaps? He reached for his laptop. Perhaps he could get some better pictures of the place.

There was a light tapping at the door. Duo got up and checked the peephole before wrenching open the door. "Trowa!"

"Duo," the tall man greeted. Damn, he was taller every time Duo saw him! It was simply not fair. Trowa had crossed six feet a couple inches ago, while Duo had to resign himself to the fact that he was always going to be a few inches short of that mark . "It's good to see you."

"Good to see you too, man! Come on in."

"I didn't know who would be here. Quatre just sent me the address, and then the room number."

"Yeah. It was a lucky break we got the info we did in time. I'm assuming that the other three will be joining us soon enough."

"Three?" Trowa froze and stared at him with wide green eyes, dropping his bag on the bed. "Heero's coming?"

"I wouldn't do it without him," Duo said, turning to glare a bit. "Is that a problem?"

"No," Trowa protested instantly. "You surprised me, is all. I'm pleased. I didn't know he was…out."

"He has been, according to Wufei. He just didn't tell anyone."

"Just like him."

The knock on the door was sharp and violent. Duo rolled his eyes to admit Wufei. "Gee, man. Kick it in why don't you?"

"Shut up, Maxwell. Ah, Barton. You made it."

"Barely. I wouldn't have if I wasn't already on my way to L2. I still had to divert."

Wufei didn't respond, just shoved Duo's laptop down the table to set up his own, a much sleeker, more expensive model. "We're going to teleconference with Quatre."

"Watch it," grumbled Duo, keying his laptop to link with the other. It might look clunky but that was just a front. Another way of hiding in plain sight. The Preventers never could figure that out.

Quatre appeared on the screen, smiling in that way of his, obviously on one of his private shuttles. "I'm sending the guest list of the Titan," he said.

Duo reached over so his laptop would share the information even as names began scrolling behind Quatre's picture. Trowa bent to look. "It's good to see you, Quatre." 

"Hello, Trowa. I'm sorry I couldn't come speak to you myself."

"Not a problem. But I think you owe me a drink, don't you?"

"I might."

The light tap on the door made Duo leap up and cross the bed to save time, almost falling against the door before wrenching it open. He only saw a flash of dark blue eyes before he threw his arms around his old comrade and friend. "Heero!"

"Duo."

Dammit, Heero had an inch or two on him, too! But nothing could shatter Duo's good mood. He released him and moved to let him into the room, looking him over carefully. He must have been outdoors on Earth a lot these past months. He had that look about him; he was lean and his skin seemed well tanned, at least. His hair was messier than ever, falling heavily into his eyes. His jeans and dusty brown jacket had certainly seen better days. His boots looked pretty ragged too. He caught Duo looking him over. "I came straight from hiking," he admitted. "It was a wonder I got Wufei's message." He dropped his backpack and there was a puff of dust.

"Is that Heero?" Quatre was asking on the computer.

Trowa grinned and came to shake his hand. Even Wufei smiled. Duo knew he was grinning like an idiot. Heero Yuy was the glue that kept them together. When he was away, Duo saw all the others far less. When Heero was involved in their lives every holiday was a party. He didn't know why it was, it just was.

Heero slid out of his jacket; his t-shirt was stained and grimy. And here Duo had worried about how clean he was. "Sorry," Heero muttered, tossing the jacket on a chair.

"Not a problem," said Duo. Heero could have come in on fire and Duo would still have welcomed him.

Quatre was smiling brightly. "I am so glad you could come, Heero."

"It was a good offer," he said, glancing back at Duo. "I'm working for you?" he asked, amusement in his eyes.

"That's right," said Duo.

"But the Preventers are in ultimate control of this mission," snapped Wufei. "Which in this case means me. And if you blow up a station again, Yuy, it's my ass on the line."

"Understood," Heero replied in perfect seriousness. Duo sighed impatiently. It wasn't Heero's fault. It wasn't! 

He went to sit in front of his computer and scroll through the names of the guests. "So what is the plan, Mister Preventer person?"

"I'm flying in to stay at the Titan," said Quatre. "You don't know how much it cost to get a room at this short notice."

"Nor do I want to," admitted Trowa.

"I will meet him at the terminal, and escort him as his bodyguard to the Titan," said Wufei.

"Where you'll let us in," said Duo.

"Not likely. Too suspicious to let three unauthorized people in."

"We could all go as your bodyguards!" Duo protested.

"I don't need four bodyguards," Quatre said with a laugh. "Everyone knows I travel with one, no more than two."

"I can get myself in," said Trowa, standing to peer out the window at the casino.

"So Duo and I should do the same," said Heero.

"That would be ideal."

Duo frowned. "We have a couple ex-Romafellers here, guys. Heero, you know some of these names here?"

Heero came to lean over Duo's shoulder to look at the screen. He smelled like dust and sweat and...was that... "Where the hell were you, Man?"

"Tibet," he said. "Hiking."

"What is that smell then?"

Heero seized his sleeve and pressed it to his face. "Yak," he said after a moment.

Trowa snorted. Quatre's grin widened. Wufei gave them all a disgusted look. Duo choked back a laugh and shook his head.

Heero pointed at the screen. "This one. I know this name. He was definitely a disciple of the Bartons. He may have even been a liaison between Dekim and J. He had to go underground when Operation Meteor fell apart."

"Which?" Quatre asked.

"Trebuchet," said Heero.

Quatre reached for another computer. "He has some names connected to him also staying."

"What's on the roof?" Duo asked suddenly.

"Penthouse suite for the very richest of the rich," grunted Wufei. "Extremely restricted access."

"Who is staying there?"

Quatre shook his head. "I...don't have that information. I'll have my people hack further."

"We don't need names," said Duo. "Obviously if you have enough to buy a super weapon, you have enough to rent the topmost suite of the Titan. All we need is a time."

Quatre shook his head. "I'll see what I can find out on the inside. In the meantime we shouldn't waste any more time getting in. We'll meet in my room for breakfast tomorrow morning."

"The Gundam has the best breakfast buffet," said Duo idly, eyeing a few names on the list as he rubbed his chin. He stopped and looked up to find eight eyes fixed on him in various states of shock and disgust. "That's…uh…just what I heard."

Quatre chuckled quietly. "Room service in my room will be sufficient."

"Agreed," said Trowa, going for his bag. "I'm going to start my surveillance and infiltration now. I'll meet you on the inside."

"Very well," said Wufei. "I'll be picking you up in an hour, Winner."

Quatre nodded and reached to flip off his connection as Wufei slapped the laptop closed. "You have all the information, Maxwell?"

"Sure, yup. Just send me the room number."

Wufei nodded and held out his hand. "Room key."

Duo handed him one with a wry expression. Wufei nodded and headed for the door, pausing near it. "Yuy," he said, turning. "I never blamed you for what happened. I'm glad you're with us."

Heero merely nodded, but that appeared to be sufficient for Wufei and he headed out.

"Don't get too mushy, Yuy," said Duo, leaning back in his chair.

Heero gave him that strange look where the amusement touched his eyes but his face remained relatively impassive. "You're going to have to debrief me. I just heard it was some sort of arms deal. You said super weapon."

"Yeah. Something secreted off an L1 factory satellite as far as we can tell. We were sort of hoping you might have an idea what it is. We don't know. We're going in completely blind."

Heero looked troubled. He shook his head. "It could be anything," he admitted. "The Bartons funded the scientists trillions of dollars for weapons research and development. Only a percentage of that went into the gundams. I didn't think J…" he shrugged. "It might not just be him, either. Dekim Barton hired anyone who would listen to his cause or take his money."

Duo frowned. "Yeah. I know."

"But you can fill me on all that later," Heero said suddenly. "How are we going to infiltrate? Do you have a plan?"

"I do," Duo replied, grinning. "But you're gonna hate it!"

This time Heero actually smiled. "I usually do. But I usually agree anyway. Let's hear it."

Duo told him. And he was right: Heero hated it.

And then agreed to it anyway.


	3. The Escalade

It took eight c-notes to get into Club Escalade, two to each bouncer for each of them. The lights flashed and the music was powerfully loud, and the three floors, all reached by steep, narrow, ladder-like stairs, were filled with beautiful people.

Duo hoped to think that he and Heero blended right in.

Heero had insisted that Duo shower first, since Heero was convinced he was filthy enough to leave a mess, which admittedly, he did. While Heero showered, Duo took all of his clothes, what he had been wearing and the stuff in his bag, and taken it to the laundry room down the hall. It all smelled like yak. He had then called to have pizzas sent up and the two of them flopped on the bed (Heero in the hotel robe) and ate in the light of the television and Duo told him everything he knew, which, he realized with a somewhat sick feeling, wasn't that much.

Heero was as he always was. Older, more comfortable in his skin, perhaps, but still reserved, flopped there beside the pizza box, quiet and relaxed, but in that way that made Duo think of a predator with one eye always on the horizon, ready to spring.

Ready to kill.

"So did you see anyone when you got out?" Duo asked finally when there was no more to discuss about the mission.

Heero nodded, reaching for his soda. "Relena visited me a couple times, so I was obligated to see her."

Duo snorted a laugh before he realized there was no irony in Heero's statement. He grimaced into his own soda. "How is she?"

"Same as always."

"Anyone else? You gave Wufei your e-mail," he let his voice betray his annoyance at that.

"I didn't actually see him," he replied, letting Duo's tone go unanswered. "I stopped by to see Sylvia Noventa, since Relena said she had asked about me."

"Ah-ha." Many thought Relena Darlian Peacecraft was the only person Heero Yuy watched over, but they didn't know about Sylvia, whom he had been keeping an eye on since the end of the war. He had kept up a correspondence with her grandmother until she passed away, according to Quatre.

Supposedly, Heero was a pretty good correspondent on both paper and e-mail. Relena and Quatre both said so. Duo wouldn't really know. His communication with Heero was not nearly as formal; usually short quick texts back and forth over stupid things, often ending with one threatening to shoot the other.

Of course, that was before the explosion. Duo couldn't bear to even write Heero while he was in that place. "Where did you go?"

"Africa, and then Australia. Have you been to Australia?" Heero asked him.

"No."

Heero shook his head, rubbing his mouth on his sleeve. "It's beautiful. I actually looked at a cabin for sale there on the edge of the Outback."

"You looked at a house?" In Australia?

"Yeah." Heero shrugged. "Passing fancy, I guess. Then India, and then I decided to hike to China through Tibet."

"And that's when we caught ya."

"Yeah." He reached for another slice.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why the wanderlust?"

Heero shrugged. "It put me off the grid for a while, and I realized while I was in the facility that I hadn't really taken a good look at the world I helped save."

"Not helped, Dude. You saved it."

Heero didn't answer that. Duo didn't expect him to, really. "They didn't _do_ anything to you there, did they? At the _facility_?"

"No," Heero replied. "They suggested some drugs and one doctor thought I'd benefit from electro-shock therapy but I politely declined."

The soda can crumpled in Duo's hand, sloshing cola over his fingers. "I hate those places. I hate those doctors and those treatments…" He reached for a napkin.

"I know," said Heero. That was all he said. Duo was grateful for that. After a long moment he asked, "How is Hilde?"

"Who knows? She decided she wanted to go to University and off she went. Probably better than working in Sweeper junkyards. She met some artist there. Pretentious prick. They're gallivanting around Europe, visiting all the art museums."

"I see." There was humor in his voice. "You're living alone then?"

"Yes. And busy as hell running the Sweeper Group."

"You're not the official leader yet, though."

"Howard stroked out about a year ago. His niece and I have been picking up the slack ever since."

"His niece?" Heero paused, thinking. "Envoy Alexander, right?"

"That's her official title, yeah. I don't know how Howard managed it. She's Lex in the trenches. God, she's a bitch. But she's really smart, too. I guess when Howard kicks it, there'll be a vote and they can pick which of us they want in."

"Good luck."

"Like I want that responsibility." He stood up. "I bet your clothes are done. Then we'll go get duds for tonight's operation." He paused and looked at Heero. "I think we'll get your hair done, too."

Heero raised his eyes to look crossways at his bangs. "You think so?"

"We only get one chance at this. We have to be two smokin' hotties."

"Who don't smell like yak."

Duo snapped his fingers and pointed at him. "You got it."

So they picked a new wardrobe: dark, form fitting jeans for the two of them, a black button down shirt for Duo and a shockingly expensive navy t-shirt for Heero to wear beneath a fine rich gray jacket with a price tag that could make a weaker soul pass out right there on the shop floor. Then the nice new black shoes and belts. Then a stop at a chic hairdresser to get Heero clipped properly, and the two were on their way.

"The Preventers are paying for all this?" Heero asked as they approached the club.

"But of course," said Duo. "They gave me a nice little expense account to dip from. And even if they didn't, Quatre would pick up the tab."

"And if not?"

"He would. But don't worry about it."

And then eight-hundred smackers to get in the door. Ye gods.

He glanced at their reflection in one of the many mirrored surfaces of the club. Oh yeah. They were a pair of smokin' hotties, all right. Heero leaned at the bar as Duo moved to the dance floor, seized almost instantly by a couple beauties. "Oh my gawd!" one cried. "Is that real?" She tugged his braid.

"As real as the rest of me, honey!"

"Is the rest of you that impressive?" the other girl asked.

"Oh I think you'll be impressed."

"It's so beautiful!"

"Well, so are you girls!"

They giggled. One was practically climbing him right there on the dance floor. "Is that your friend?" The other asked, peering at Heero.

"Yeah. Best bud. He's the shy one." He glanced at Heero, trying to signal with his eyes for him to look more shy and less like he was seeking out targets. They weren't going to get anywhere if Heero couldn't pull off his end of it. Awkward Duo could work with. Too threatening and it was all over.

"Will you introduce me?"

"No!" protested the other. "I want to dance!"

"Then we gotta dance."

He wasn't there ten minutes before a huge guy came down the stairs from the highest level, pushing his way right onto the dance floor and coming up to Duo. "You, come with me."

"Um, don't mean to rude or nothin', but who are you and why are you asking?"

"You're wanted in a private party upstairs."

The girls whined. "She always takes the best ones," muttered one.

"Sorry, my man. Can't go without my best bud." He pointed at Heero.

The big guy moved to look over Heero, then looked back at Duo as if he was kidding.

"I dragged him," Duo explained, trying not to grimace. "I'm not ditching him."

The guy moved away a minute, muttering into his lapel and pointing at Heero. A moment later, he nodded. "Both of you. Come on."

"I can't believe it," Heero muttered as he fell into step beside Duo.

"Oh please. I never had a doubt. You know the open drink rule, right?"

"Nothing you don't see poured yourself."

"If your eyes leave it get another."

"I won't be drinking."

"I'd have one if I were you. Your reflexes will be fine and you want to relax."

Heero threw him a glare. "I can relax."

"Dude, you are majorly sucking at this. Trust me, a drink will do nothing but help. I will choose a drink for you, which you will drink. Then nurse something the rest of the night."

"What will you have?"

"Probably same as you."

The third floor was glittery and opulent, decorated with metallic hues and twentieth century future style furniture and full of some of the most beautiful women --and, he had to admit it, men-- Duo had ever seen in his life. Drop dead gorgeous, like he didn't know was possible in real life. It wasn't often when he was caught tongue tied, but for a moment all he could do was stand and stare. He could feel Heero doing the same thing beside him.

A beautiful blond woman in red leather stood up and waved them over.

Duo knew her instantly, from television and the tabloids. Holiday Winter had been a teen pop idol, and then a reality show star, and now…well, Duo hadn't been following what her latest project was, though her face seemed always to be there on the news stands.

Duo took a deep breath to relax and nudged Heero to come forward with him; they stepped down into circular recess in the center of the floor, encircled by a plush, fluffy couch. "Oh, you are so cute!" the woman gushed, coming over to hug him. "And so's your friend!" She hugged Heero next, Duo could see him doing everything he could to keep from leaning away.

"He's the shy one," Duo said. "Miss Winter, it's a pleasure."

"Oh, call me Holi, please," she giggled. "And who are you guys?"

"I'm Duo. And this here is Heero," he said as Holi gestured for them to sit beside her.

"And where are you from?"

"Ah, I'm L2, born and bred."

Heero leaned close. "You want to give that much information?"

"No harm. And we won't have to remember what we told them later."

"Heero, hmm?" A Japanese girl in a tight black corset and long black hair leaned over the back of the couch to catch Heero's face and tilt it back to meet his eyes. "Dochira kara desu ka?"

"L1," Heero replied quietly.

"You're not all Japanese."

"I don't think so," he replied. "War orphan."

"Awww," whimpered Holi. "That's so sad! Are you a war orphan too, Duo?"

"Yeah. I grew up on the streets. It was hard."

"You poor thing! Kiki, stop hovering and join us!"

Kiki released Heero and straightened, then climbed over the back of the couch, one long, black-stocking clad leg at a time. Her skirt barely covered her ass. Even Heero couldn't help but stare. Duo swallowed hard. She slid down close to Heero, drawing her legs up beside her.

A finely built man in slacks and a bowtie, with nothing between, pushed a mobile bar down among them. "What can I get for you gentlemen?" he asked.

Duo paused. "How about a couple appletinis?"

"Applewhat?" Heero asked quietly.

"Isn't he cute?" Duo asked. "Such a stiff, I know. I'm trying to get him out of his shell. He goes off on these long solitary hikes all alone. It just ain't right. Drink it, Dude. You'll like it."

"Where did you go hiking?" Kiki asked, leaning in a bit. Again, Duo could see the effort he was making not to lean away.

"Ah, Tibet," he replied. "The Himalayas."

"What was it like?"

"Beautiful," he said quietly. "Cold. Silent. There's a place along one of the higher passes where all you can see are clouds and mountaintops, going on forever. A man could find God there."

Duo turned startled eyes upon his friend. He had never heard him wax poetic like that before. "Shangri-la," murmured Kiki.

"I suppose."

"Wow," chirped Holi. "Sounds awesome! I wonder how the hotels are there?"

"I wouldn't know," said Heero. "I slept under a tarp with a yak."

Kiki laughed. Holi blinked a bit confusedly.

The bartender passed them each a bright green drink in a martini glass with a twisted stem. "There you are, gentlemen."

"Thank you!" Duo gushed. "And thank you, Miss Holi, for inviting us up."

"Oh I had to. You're just too cute," she reached up to slide her hand along his braid. "You have the most beautiful hair I've ever seen!"

Duo sipped his drink. It was sharp and bitter. "Thank you," he said. "Sorta my pride and joy, you could say."

"I'd love to undo it and brush it," she purred.

He smiled a bit bemusedly. "I'd fall asleep!" he protested. He would, too.

Heero sputtered a little. "Drink it," Duo ordered.

"It's a little…uh…tart," said Heero.

"I can sweeten it," murmured Kiki, taking it from his hand and taking a sip, then leaning in to press her lips to his.

Heero's eyes went huge; Duo stared, torn between horror and amusement. _Please don't kill her, please don't kill her..._ But he just sat there and took it. Kiki straightened after a moment. "Better?" she asked.

"Uh…ah…a little?"

Was he actually blushing some? Hm, maybe Heero was going to do better at this than Duo had thought.

"Oh, your friend is lucky," giggled Holi. "Kiki only gives mouth to mouth to the ones she really likes."

"Careful, Kiki. You might just need to resuscitate him for real if you keep that up. But I wonder who will revive me?" Duo asked, tilting his head back to smile at Holi.

She giggled. "Depends on if you'll let me play with your hair."

"Yeah, sure," he said. "But I'm serious. I always fall asleep when someone brushes my hair. Too relaxing."

"What if I took you back to my place?"

"Your place?"

"I've got a big beautiful room at the Titan. We're all going back there later. Do you want to come?"

"Not without Heero," said Kiki before Duo could.

"The Titan?" Duo breathed. "Wow. Really?"

"Yes. And yes, we'll bring Heero," she giggled. "I can refuse Kiki nothing."

"Well, with an offer like that, I can hardly refuse either," he said. "And I would love it if you would brush my hair."

She smiled and snuggled in close to him. "Then that's what we'll do."

~

"These people are depraved," muttered Heero, mopping lipstick off his face. The unisex bathroom was mirrored on every surface; there was no privacy.

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself," said Duo as he washed his hands.

"I thought that was the point. I hate you for this."

There was a motion in one of the mirrors. "Look, you can't wander around mountains with yaks your whole life. You have to learn to live a little."

Heero had caught the motion too. "I'm just not used to crowds, I guess."

"You'll get used to it. And in a few minutes, we're heading for the Titan."

"Sure." He followed Duo from the room, past the inflatable furniture which squeaked obscenely beneath the bodies moving upon them, past the beaded curtains which did nothing to conceal the acts behind them.

Holi had her arms around Duo's neck all of a sudden. "So, you ready to go?"

"Ready and willing, my lady."

The large man who had recruited them held a door and about a dozen people were ushered down a back stairway. "You will follow all directions I give," he was bellowing. "You will do what I and Miss Winter tell you to do. You will not do what we tell you not to do! Any breach of these rules and you will not just be thrown out, you will be thrown out with your legs broken! Is that understood?"

"Perfectly," grimaced Duo.

The man stopped and turned to glare up at him. "I was serious, Dude. I do not doubt you," said Duo, putting his hands up.

The man stared, then nodded. "Good," he said, then turned and continued on.

They were ushered into the front limo, where Kiki was already waiting. "Well hello there, Heero!" she cried, pulling him close beside her. A moment later, Holi climbed in, settling herself beside Duo.

"Hey," said Heero a bit weakly.

"Wow, Kiki, you really like him. Are you gonna keep him?"

"I doubt this one likes being kept," she replied.

"I know! He's so weird."

The limo pulled away. Holi just snuggled up to Duo but Kiki was far more aggressive, climbing all over poor Heero. Duo sighed. He was so going to have to make it up to him somehow. He got a good look at Kiki's ass as she shifted. Wait a second! No he wasn't!

Kiki mumbled something in Japanese into Heero's ear. Duo knew enough to get by, but only when the person was speaking clearly. He couldn't quite catch what she said.

"Dare?" Heero replied back, smiling as if he was enjoying himself.

Her whisper became even quieter but there were certain words Duo always caught. "Gundam," was definitely one of them.

Heero laughed out loud. "You think so?" he asked in English.

"I do," she replied.

"What?" Holi asked. "What did you say to him?"

"Nothing, Hol. I wouldn't expect an admission of guilt so soon anyway," she murmured. "But I think I'm right."

She knew who he was. Well, people did. A freedom of information act had opened a great many OZ records about three years ago, giving a good portion of the public their first look at the now extinct gundams and a couple of their pilots. Unfortunately, footage of Heero's self-detonation was an internet sensation, and though he was much changed from that scrappy boy who hit the button without a moment of hesitation, he was recognizable to those who were good at remembering faces.

It caused him problems. Former OZ soldiers and survivors of gundam attacks were none too forgiving and he had been cornered and forced to fight half a dozen times. Heero had supposedly sworn off fighting and killing (Duo didn't think he even carried a gun anymore except on the most dangerous missions) but his instincts and conditioning were too strong to merely take a beating, and the result was always the same: police cars and ambulance rides.

There were pictures of Duo out there from when he was captured and all over the news, but the pictures were not nearly as interesting, and in his own opinion, he had changed far more in six years, save for the hair. It was perhaps his downfall, as well as his pride and joy.

The Titan gleamed above them, and the limos pulled up in front of the private underground entrance. The heavy bouncers just nodded at Holiday as she entered with her entourage; they were obviously used to her habits.

Of course they were. She was famous for picking up beautiful young people at clubs, particularly the Escalade, and bringing them back for wild parties at the Titan. It was all over every tabloid. Duo had just seen a thing about it a week ago on one of those stupid entertainment news shows. As soon as he had seen her name on the guest list, he had remembered that segment, and the plan had been formed.

And now the plan had been realized. They stepped from the dark parking area into a world of high ceilings and the brightest lights Duo had ever seen outside the full sunlight of Earth. They made everything dazzling: the guests, the gaming tables that went on for thousands of yards down the main casino floor, the dancers in their Greek and Persian costumes, the decorations that glittered and sparkled everywhere.

"I need shades," he said.

Heero said nothing. He just stared until he was grabbed and dragged towards the elevators by Kiki.

Duo followed along after a moment; Holi seized him as they walked and he threw an arm around her shoulders.

They had infiltrated the Titan.


	4. The Titan

It started at as gentle touch, which grew into a rather rough shaking. Duo took a deep breath, inhaling hair, then spluttering a bit and shifting. "Hey Baby," he mumbled. "How about some breakfast?"

There was a shifting above him, warm breath grazed his ear before a low voice rumbled into it. "I swear when this mission is over I will strangle you to within an inch of your life."

Duo blinked then, pushing himself up a bit, reaching up to flop his hair out of his face. Heero was sitting above him, fully dressed. "It's morning. Everyone's asleep," he said quietly. "The bodyguard is in the bathroom with a girl who's sick. We should go. Now."

"Yeah. Yeah." Duo winced a bit as he sat up. Had she slipped him something? Or had he really just fallen asleep as she brushed his hair? God, he was such a tool sometimes. He reached for his shirt and slipped it on.

"Have your phone?"

Duo slapped his pockets and looked around, it was on the floor by his shoes. He made a face as he slid it into his pocket and shoved his feet into his shoes, then fished for an elastic to tie back his hair.

"Hurry up."

Duo nodded and stood. They stepped slowly out onto the landing and down the six wide carpeted steps to the main room, the center of which was graced by a bubbling hot tub. Holiday lay in a lounger beside it, a towel draped over her slender frame. They could hear someone retching in the bathroom. They slipped down the entranceway, and out the door into the opulent hallway, which overlooked the still-buzzing casino floor.

Duo flipped on his phone as they walked, moving like they knew where they were going. But no one paid them any mind. No one made it inside who wasn't supposed to be there. "Six twenty three," he read after a moment. They stopped casually at the map across from the crystalline elevators. Three floors up and down a hallway that led away from the casino.

Heero gazed down at the casino floor as the elevator rose. "Seriously, you okay?" Duo asked him.

Heero glared.

"She recognized you, huh?"

"That's what she said. She said she'd always wanted one."

"What, a gundam?"

"No, a gundam pilot."

Duo snorted and looked away. "It couldn't have been that bad."

"I think need another shower."

"She wasn't a yak."

"I think I preferred the yak."

"She didn't get that far, did she?"

"No, but that isn't the point. What about you? She dragged you off pretty fast."

Duo laughed as the doors opened. "She just brushed my hair."

"Sure."

"Hey, believe me. I actually have some self-respect, you know."

"Sure." They headed down the hallway. "Do a lot of people…actually live like this?"

"Bored rich bastards do, I guess," grunted Duo. "I don't know!"

"You infiltrated well."

"Better than you. But you know I do."

Heero shook his head. "I've never understood how you do it. You stand out so badly."

Duo laughed as he rapped on the door. Heero had told him that once before, before they were friends. When they were just fellow pilots with the same mission, suspicious and untrusting of one another, unable to form bonds because weapons don't form bonds.

The door flew open. Wufei was seething on the other side. "Where have you been?"

"Getting laid," said Duo casually as he entered. "Hey, Quatre. Glad we could make it?"

"Sorry we're late," said Heero.

"You're not, really," said Quatre with a smile. "We're still waiting for Trowa." The room was not as opulent as Holiday's, but it was beautiful, none the less. The entranceway led to a wide sitting room, two bedrooms branched off on either side. The curtains were drawn, but even through them one could see more flashing neon lights.

"Laid?" Wufei couldn't help but ask Duo, who spied his stuff from the other hotel in a chair. He rummaged through his bag until he found his hairbrush and went to work re-braiding his hair.

"Oh, well…I did get to play kissy face with a celebrity."

"Who?" Wufei scoffed.

"Holiday Winter."

"Eww!" Quatre made a face.

Wufei turned a bit green. "That woman is a brainless slut, Maxwell."

"Yes, but that brainless slut got us into the hotel. Cuz we were smokin' hotties!"

Heero made a noise from where he had flopped on one of the couches. "I'm killing you when this mission is over."

"Oh, like you can complain. Guys, you should have seen the gorgeous Asian chick who could--" he froze a moment. "Who uh, couldn't keep her hands off of him. Hey, Heero, did you see her before you left?"

"No. Why?"

"Ah, no reason, I guess. So, hey, we're all here sans Trowa, whether we whored ourselves or…where do you think Trowa is?"

"I have no doubt he'll be here."

"Right. So can we get this meeting underway?"

"Breakfast is arriving momentarily," said Quatre. "I thought we could discuss the plan over coffee."

Duo tied off his braid and turned to face his fellow pilots. "Sounds good to me." He saw their faces and grimaced. "If we had been caught climbing or crawling in, we would have been seen as two guys trying to get into the Titan for some reason. By doing what we did, if we were caught, we would have been seen as two guys trying to get close to Holiday Winter for some reason. We did not actually do that much with those girls, okay? They got us in the Titan. I saw it as an acceptable trade-off, and an excellent cover. Please to not be judging me, okay? And Heero, you're just going to have to forgive me."

Heero made a dismissive gesture. "I wouldn't have gone along with it if I didn't think it was an acceptable plan," he said.

"It's fine, Duo," said Quatre. "We all have to do what is necessary."

"I still think it's disgusting," said Wufei.

"Well don't get too close or I'll give ya cooties," Duo sneered back.

"Please," sighed Quatre as there was a knock on the door. "Let's all get along."

"Room service," called a familiar voice.

Wufei answered the door, stepping back with a snort of surprise. Quatre and Heero grinned and Duo couldn't help but burst into laughter as Trowa entered in full waiter's uniform, pushing in a massive cart of food. "You bastard!" Duo laughed. "How did you get in here?"

"I carried a crate of live eels through the service entrance," said Trowa, loosening his tie.

"Now see, Maxwell, that is an acceptable way of infiltrating a building."

"What, rather than playing boy toys with some starlet?" asked Trowa, tossing his jacket across the back of his chair.

"What?" Duo looked at him. "How did--"

"Room service," Trowa said patiently. "I was there with strawberries and champagne at four this morning. You really need to get to Earth more, Maxwell. You're kinda pale." He smirked and dumped out some silverware on the table.

"Shut up, it worked."

"I'm not judging. You all right, Heero?"

"Sure."

"None of us are judging," Quatre said gently. "Now let's eat." He gestured to the cart, which they treated like a buffet, loading plates full of steak and eggs and fruit and cheese and filling mugs of coffee before gathering around the table.

"So, any new information?" Heero asked before attacking his plate.

"Very little," Quatre told them as he laid his napkin across his lap. "The Preventers are hoping to have a time, date, and location soon but our informants are not very helpful."

"I still think it's gonna be on the roof," said Duo.

"In front of everyone? One of these rooms would be much better," said Wufei. "Why show everyone what they're doing?"

Duo rubbed his eyes. "Because when you hide away in a room like this, people wonder what you're up to. It's also harder to get out of."

"He has a point," said Trowa.

"Perhaps," said Quatre. "But we just don't know."

"We'll keep working on it," said Wufei. "We're bound to catch a break."

Duo nodded with a sigh and poked his eggs.

~

They ran names and hacked databases until Duo's eyes hurt and he got up to stretch. Heero and Wufei had both stopped for a break; Wufei was draped on one of the couches, taking deep meditative breaths; Heero was seemingly unconscious on one of the large beds.

Duo peeked in on him. "He okay?" Quatre asked from behind him.

"I'm sure. He had a hard time, I guess. I can't believe they bought it."

"He isn't sure they did," said Trowa from the computer. "He says that someone recognized him as a gundam pilot."

"Lotsa people recognize Heero as a gundam pilot," sighed Duo.

Quatre shook his head. "I suppose he didn't like the plan much."

Duo shrugged. "I was not climbing the Titan casino with suction cups carrying a glass cutter in my teeth. I thought if we could just get someone to let us in, it would work out easier for everyone."

"I agree," said Quatre. "Persuasion, rather than force."

"Has he said more about where he was all this time?" Trowa asked.

"Yeah. All over. He looked at a cabin in Australia. And then he was hiking in Tibet…you shouda heard him, Q. I've never heard him talk like that. Something about a place where you could find God. It sounded so strange coming from him."

Quatre smiled warmly. "Sounds human to me."

Duo shrugged. "Maybe so."

Trowa slammed the keyboared too hard. "Dammit! The connection just vanished."

Wufei pushed himself up a bit. "Hm?"

There was a knock at the door.

Wufei straightened, adjusting his jacket as he headed for the door. "Do you not see the sign?" he demanded. "Do not disturb!"

Another knock. Trowa closed the laptop. Quatre glanced at Duo, who moved to the end of the entranceway to watch.

Wufei opened the door.

It was Kiki, dressed in pants and boots with tall heels now, a jacket over her corset. "Hi," she said with a tilt of her head. "Is this where Heero ran off to?"

"What?" Wufei demanded.

"How the hell…" muttered Duo.

"No. This is a private room. I suggest you--" Wufei got no further, for Kiki moved like lightning, kicking straight upwards to catch Wufei in the chin and send him flying backwards. She strode in right past him as he recovered.

"Hi Duo," she said with a smile. "Is Heero in? Are these your friends?" She turned before he could answer to engage Wufei, who had come charging at her.

Duo stepped backwards. Damn it! She was meeting Wufei move for move.

"We've been discovered," said Quatre. "Trowa?"

Trowa hit a sequence on the laptop and it started sparking and smoking.

Wufei fell. Kiki turned that smile back on Duo. "It was really rude to leave without saying goodbye. You don't know how much you upset poor Holi." She struck. Duo dodged and caught her arm, hoping to twist her around.

He was on the floor before he knew it, watching her deal with both Trowa and Quatre, who had moved in. Wufei grunted and stood up. "Get up, Maxwell."

"Yeah, I got them," said Kiki into the air.

"Dammit!" Duo rolled over and grabbed her ankle. She brought her other foot down on his wrist and he winced.

But this was enough of a distraction for Trowa to get a hold of her and flip her to the floor. "Stop," he commanded. "I don't like fighting women."

There was a tremendous crash of glass in the bedroom. "She's distraction." Heero said from the doorway. "Time to move out."

"Hey, Lover," Kiki smiled as she rolled to her feet. "I told you I knew you were a gundam pilot. We don't need to fight. We're both after the same thing. Let's work together."

There was gunfire out in the casino. Alarms went off. "Damn it!" she snarled, looking towards the door. "They're coming." She ran for the door. "You boys better hurry!" she called back.

"Duo," said Heero, turning back into the bedroom.

"No! I said I wasn't climbing the Titan with suction cups!"

"Find your own way up then," said Heero. "And who said anything about suction cups?" He glanced at Duo once more then jumped right out the broken window.

Duo clutched at his chest much the way Quatre did when troubled. "I hate it when you do these things!" he shouted after him.

"Duo! Are you going with him or not!" Trowa called.

He lunged for his bag, snatching the most important stuff from it and shoving them in his pockets as he slid on his jacket and gloves, then snatched the jump drive from his laptop before seizing a couple of the guns Quatre had brought. "No way! I'll see him on the roof."

"With me then," Quatre said, slapping a clip into a gun as he followed Wufei to the door way.

Trowa paused a moment, then went towards the window, peering out, then snorting a laugh before jumping out after Heero.

"Let the acrobats have their fun," muttered Duo as he came up alongside Quatre.

"Right."

"Plan?"

"Let's see what's out there."

An explosion rocked the building.

"What the hell?"

"Someone else got wind of the deal," said Quatre.

Wufei shook his head. "Someone less subtle than us. We probably should have taken the same tactic. Let's go!"

They saw the men with machine guns in the crystalline elevator before it opened. Duo skidded to a halt so fast he nearly fell, flipping the safety off both his guns. "Wrong way! Wufei, Quatre, find the stairs!"

Wufei protested but Quatre seized his arm and backed away even as the elevator doors opened. They all dove for doorways as the hall exploded in gunfire. Duo set his teeth angrily as leaned out to pick them off. He had never wanted to be a part of this sort of thing again. A bullet smashed plaster off the wall by his face and he ducked back a moment before returning fire with deadly accuracy. Another explosion rocked the building. People were screaming, there was gunfire elsewhere.

"We're in the middle of a mob war," Quatre groaned down the hall. "How stupid…"

"Stairs!" Duo shouted. "I'll cover you!" He fired into the elevator, letting a few shots go wide to shatter the glass around them. As they ducked he felt more than saw Quatre and Wufei make a break for the stairs.

They were either fallen or scattering. Duo lunged forward and tackled one of the last ones, turning to fire at another, yanking the machine gun away from him before diving into the elevator and hitting the button for the uppermost floor even as he shoved one of the bodies out. He crouched close to the doors, checking the clip on the machine gun. Maybe half. Would last him a little while, at least.

The glass wall beside him shattered and he rolled away, tilting to glance over his shoulder. The casino floor was a scene of complete and utter chaos. Men in gray and black outfits were racing through it. He turned to glance at the body still in the elevator with him. There was no insignia anywhere Duo could see. Who were they? And why were they going to all this trouble? They weren't L2 gangs.

There was another crack as another bullet hit the elevator, which stopped suddenly. All was still a moment. And then the doors opened with a pleasant ping.

He didn't see anyone right away; he kept low as he crept out, wondering which way was best to go.

There was a shout, and about fifty men came racing down the hallway that overlooked the casino. There were more on the other side. Duo winced and ran down the hall away from them, cursing under his breath. The stairs were at the end of the hall in front of him, at the T intersection. He didn't stop to make sure the doors were open; he fired the machine gun into the knob and lock to be sure before bashing through.

A bullet just missed him as he caught himself on the railing.

"Maxwell! Curse you!"

He looked up. Wufei was on a level above him. "Where's Quatre!"

"Here! Hurry, Duo!"

But Duo was already stumbling up the stairs, turning to fire as the door bashed open again, spraying bullets into the entering forms. When they backed off he turned and charged up the rest of the way, breathing hard. "I didn't agree to this sort of a mission!" he snarled.

"What sort did you think it was, Maxwell? We'll send you to pick flowers next time!"

"Please do!"

"Stop!" gasped Quatre. "It's a dead end."

"What?"

Quatre gestured as Duo arrived behind him. It was indeed a solid brick wall. "Then why have stairs go all the way up?" he asked, then thought to look up.

There was a trap door.

"Look out!" Duo turned the machine gun on it, splintering the lock, even as there was a shuffling of feet directly below them.

Wufei linked his hands. "Winner!"

Quatre stepped up with one graceful move, shoving the trapdoor open. "Move me higher, Wufei!" He called. Duo turned to hold back the men climbing the stairs, firing a short burst of machine gun fire.

"Lower, Wufei! Lower!" Howled Quatre, actually jumping so he caught the edge and swung even as gunfire rattled over his head.

"Is this what's expected of an executive?" Duo asked as he kept firing down the stairwell.

Quatre let go and hopped down. "They're everywhere."

"Too bad we don't have a bomb," grated Wufei.

Quatre smiled and pulled a small grenade from his pocket.

"You are so my kind of executive," laughed Duo. "Hurry up, I'm nearly out of ammo."

Quatre pulled the pin with this teeth and tossed it up through the trap door. There were shouts and screams and then a huge explosion. Duo took a step at the same moment and the next thing he knew was rolling down the stairs. He hit the landing with a groan.

"Duo!"

"Go!" He groaned, pointing the machine gun awkwardly down the stairs and firing off a burst. Wufei tossed Quatre through then leaped nimbly to the edge, instantly vanishing from sight. "Back off!" Duo roared as he scrambled to his feet.

"Stay outta this, Sweeper trash!"

"Oh, real original, Jerkwad! I've never heard that one before!" He fired off one more blast before launching himself up the stairs full speed, throwing the gun's strap over his shoulder before jumping and catching the trapdoor edge. He hiked himself up and rolled to a crouch on the Titan roof.

It was a warzone. There was still smoke everywhere from the grenade and bodies were scattered about. Dark shapes moved along through the primly trimmed gardens, brandishing guns of all shapes and sizes. The crack of gunfire surrounded him.

He kept himself low to the ground as he headed towards the large structure that graced the roof. It was two stories high, almost all glass and steel, like a gigantic greenhouse. The top story was all reflective one way glass, the lower story glowed and Duo could see people moving within.

There was a whistle and he flattened himself as some sort of canister grenade flew over his head only to hand twenty feet behind him and begin bellowing a sickly smelling smoke. Duo grimaced and kept crawling. This was insane!

There was a crack of gunfire ahead, and Duo looked up in time to see Wufei knock Quatre down and then go flying backwards himself. Duo cursed and got up to run towards them. "Wuffay!" he shouted, sliding down beside them.

"I'm fine, Maxwell," Wufei grunted through his teeth.

"You're bleeding!" Indeed, blood was seeping from somewhere under Wufei's dark jacket.

"Nothing I can't handle."

Quatre pushed himself up a bit dazedly. "Duo, we've miscalculated. This is an all out gang war. Oh, Wufei…"

"These aren't L2 gangs. No gangs are armed like this anymore. This is something else. Trowa!"

He had just spotted the lithe form creeping from hedge to hedge. He stopped and tucked and rolled to them. "What happened? Wufei, did you get shot? That was careless."

"Shut up, Barton."

"He was protecting me," groaned Quatre.

Duo took a breath. The sickly smell was creeping towards them. "Where's Heero?"

"We split up. Don't worry about him."

"Who's worried? Dude, Wufei is wounded and I don't think it would do well for the Winner corporation to have their CEO caught in the middle of a gang war."

"What are you saying?" Quatre cried.

"I'm saying that Heero and I will take care of this." It was the reasonable, logical conclusion. "It's gonna take the two of you to get Wufei out of this mess without getting killed." One couldn't do it. Duo knew he couldn't.

"Why don't you take them and I'll go with Heero?" Trowa asked.

It was tempting, but he dismissed the idea. "For about a trillion reasons which we don't have enough time to get into now, mostly including me having less to lose and knowing L2 better." And there was no way he was leaving Heero behind. No how, no way.

Trowa hesitated, then nodded and reached to seize Wufei. "Come on Quatre. Let's get out of here."

"But…but Duo…" Quatre started to protest.

"Hey. It's me," he assured them, then turned away, trusting them to find a way out as he shuffled through the garden, keeping his head down as bullets whizzed through the air.

He was almost to the building. He straightened and emptied the rest of the machine gun into the glass wall and the running gangsters, then charged forward and used it like a club on those still standing. "This sucks!" he snarled as he smashed another one in the head. The threw the useless gun away and seized his pistols as he charged through the entrance. There weren't many inside. They were all out holding off the attackers. Nice. He picked them off as he circled around the opulent living quarters, then capped a guy in the knee and seized him as he screamed. "Where's the weapon?" he demanded.

"Up…upstairs," he groaned.

There was a rain of gunfire right outside. Duo pushed the guy towards it instinctively and ran for the plush, red-carpeted stairs. It was one big room, with a big beautiful bed Duo would have stopped to admire any other day, along with all sorts of other amenities. The shades along the back of the room were closed. There was no one there. They had all been guarding below. That wouldn't last long.

He looked around, peering under the furniture. There was nothing here. "I shoulda dragged him with me," muttered Duo.

There was a soft noise from the couch on the back wall. Duo raised his gun and stepped towards it.

There was a little girl stretched out on the couch. Eight or nine, maybe, with soft dark hair that tumbled everywhere and an old-fashioned gray dress over a wiry frame. Duo approached her slowly, lowering the gun a bit, even as she pushed herself up and blinked at him with strange eyes the color of polished granite.

Oh, hell no.

The gundam pilot and the little girl stared at each other for a long moment. "Hi," he said finally. "What are you doing here?"

Her gaze was intelligent but innocent. "I don't know," she replied. "He said I was going to a new home."

"Who did?"

"The scientist man."

"Are you…are you the weapon?"

She giggled a little. "I'm Ahli," she said.

"I'm Duo," he said. He looked her over. Could it be true?

He saw her look behind him, eyes going wide. He brought an arm up as he turned, blocking the blow coming right for his neck. "Hi, Kiki."

"Hey, Duo." She fired off another lighting punch, followed by a kick. Duo blocked one but not the other, falling against the chair. "Let's not fight about this, okay?"

"Is she…"

"Oh yeah. Potential perfect soldier right there."

"Shit." He struck and she blocked, then kicked him hard in the stomach, doubling him over. She seized him and shoved him backwards. "You're kinda pathetic, Duo."

"Ah, if I had a nickel," he grunted as he slowly rolled to get back to his feet.

Something silver flashed as she strode towards him. "You aren't going to give up? Don't make me do this."

He winced some. How hard had she hit him?

There was a flash of motion and she spun only to go flying backwards into a chair and tip over onto the floor. "Don't make me do this," said Heero. Duo hadn't even seen the strike.

She cursed him in Japanese; strongly, if Duo recognized the words, and launched herself at Heero, who hardly broke a sweat as he blocked and dodged her attacks. A hint of a smile touched his mouth, which seemed to send her into a frothing rage. Her swings were getting sloppy and her kicks poorly aimed. Heero stuck his hands in his pockets as if bored, still moving to avoid her. Duo shook his head. He was such a damned show-off sometimes!

She crouched to grab her dropped knife and thrust at him, but he merely sidestepped. "Stop," he said. "Just stop."

"I'll kill you!" she gasped. "It doesn't matter if we have the weapon!"

"I said stop."

"You'll have to kill me!"

Heero sighed and then was in motion; the first punch actually sent her crashing against one of he glass walls, which cracked behind her. He strode up to her before she had a chance to recover; seized her by the jacket, and then just shoved, kicking the window behind her at the same time so it shattered as he pushed. She screamed as she vanished from view, falling in a rain of broken glass.

"That won't kill her," groaned Duo.

"I didn't expect it to," he said. "Where are the others?"

"Wufei was shot protecting Quatre," said Duo. "I don't think it's serious, but I dunno. Q and Trowa are gonna get him out of here. I told them we could handle this."

Heero nodded. "Where's the weapon?" he asked.

Duo sighed and turned to look at Ahli, who had watched everything with a calm wariness.

Heero followed his gaze and stared a moment, then looked away, cursing quietly.

"Yeah," said Duo. "Did you suspect?"

"It crossed my mind. I tried to remain optimistic."

"Hey," Duo came over to sit beside Ahli on the couch. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah. Why were you fighting that lady?"

"We think she wanted to hurt you."

"Duo, we don't have time."

"We are not snatching up some kid without a bit of reassurance. We're here to keep you from being sent to someone who wants to hurt you," he told her, wondering if this was the truth, if those people who had sent Heero to a facility wouldn't do the same to this kid. "We want you to come with us now."

She nodded slowly, then looked a bit worriedly at Heero. "Oh, that's Heero. I know he's kinda scary but he's totally a good guy."

"Duo, now."

"Come on," said Duo, standing up with a slight wince.

She leaped up instantly and slid a hand into his, and as they reached the stairs reached out to take Heero's hand as well, smiling up at him a bit nervously.

He looked down at her in surprise and their gazes locked. Did something pass between them? Duo couldn't help but wonder. But then the moment was gone and the three of them hurried down the stairs and towards the back of the structure. "Where are we going and how are we getting down?" Duo asked.

"We have choices. Elevator shaft?"

"It's clear glass, Dude. It'll be like a carnival shooting booth."

"Good point. Over the side it is."

"The side?"

"Bring your suction cups?"

"No!"

Heero made a sound that could have been a laugh and released Ahli to run ahead as they left the building and circled a large pool. Several bodies floated in the water; in the artificial light the blood looked like purple clouds.

There was a crack of gunfire behind them. Duo picked up the pace, tugging Ahli along. Why couldn't it have been a briefcase full of plutonium?

Duo ducked through the shrubbery to find Heero peering over the edge, adjusting a grappling claw still clung there. "Some of them came up this way. It's how we'll get down."

"You're gonna carry the kid."

He nodded and knelt. Duo directed her to climb onto his back. "Hold on tight," he said. "Don't let go, and don't look down."

She nodded and clung to Heero's neck. "A little less tight," he grunted, and she obeyed, adjusting her grip. Heero peered over then just stepped out into the air, turning to catch the rope as he fell. Ahli shrieked a bit.

"Dude!" Duo groaned. "Careful!" But Heero was already swarming down the rope hand over hand and didn't look up.

Duo sat on the ledge and seized the rope before sliding down and starting down himself. Even as he did the building rocked with another explosion, and there was a tink of a bullet hitting the wall beside him. He looked up, there were shapes hanging over the wall. He cursed as he let go with one hand to grab his gun and fire up into the smoky shadows. The rope jerked. "I think we're gonna lose the rope, Buddy!"

"Slide!" Heero ordered from below. Duo could hear Ahli give another little scream. Duo groaned, fired once more then hit the safety, dropped the gun and let himself start sliding, thanking all that was good that he had remembered his gloves. He couldn't recall Heero wearing any. Ouch.

The rope came loose when he was still a story up and he hit the ground hard, rolling to his feet with a groan. He turned to face Heero, who held out his gun. "You dropped this."

"Oh shut up," he grunted, shoving it in his belt. "Leave her on your back. Let's go."

"Suggestions?"

"My place," he said shortly as they ran. "I have hideouts."

"Acceptable."

"The only problem is getting off New Vegas and getting to V08."

"I have a personal transport," said Heero.

"Your hands okay?"

"Fine."

There was an explosion behind them. Fire was pouring out of the Titan, people ran everywhere. No one could follow them through such chaos.

"My clothes!" Duo groaned. "My good boots!"

"Those were good?" Heero asked without looking.

"Yes, they were comfy! And they didn't smell like yak!"

"I think I'm done with the yak jokes."

"What's a yak?" Ahli asked.

"I dunno, but they smell funny!" Duo replied.

They slowed to a walk several blocks away and caught a tram towards the spaceport; it was nearly empty, people having run either to or from the fire which could be seen from a distance, reflected against the closed solar shields. Duo gazed back it, and could only hope his friends had gotten out alive.


	5. L2-V08744

They rushed through the spaceport, dodging through the crowds. Duo had no doubt they were going to shut this place down soon enough, as soon some order was established. Heero got them down to the private vehicle bay and led them to a teeny little craft.

"Dude, I been in bathtubs bigger than that thing."

"I didn't think I was going to have passengers," said Heero as the cockpit opened. "There's one passenger seat. Strap her in with you."

"Sure."

He boosted Ahli in and climbed after her, pulling her into his lap and buckling the harness around her. He poked her side playfully and she giggled. She seemed like a normal kid. Red lights began flashing and the hangar doors began to slide closed.

"Uh…Heero?"

"I see it," he said, kicking the ship into motion before the canopy was completely closed. "Hold on." He tilted it to sweep out between the doors before they could close.

"We need the moonward terminal," said Duo.

"Why?"

"My car is there."

"Roger."

Heero was punching it, ignoring radio chatter. L2-V08744 rotated in the distance in front of them. Duo frowned at it. He hated that it had such a hold on him; that he always seemed to end up running back to it. One day, once the Sweepers had cleaned up the place, he was going to leave it and never come back. He promised himself that much as he settled back to get comfy for the long ride ahead.

When he woke up, the colony was looming far closer. He held his ID out to Heero, who took it and used the code to call in their landing request. There wasn't any question; they were brought right in.

Duo wasn't surprised: The Sweeper Group ran most of the terminals and spaceports now.

He had received the text the night before: G4. They ran through the terminal and headed towards the parking lot. Ahli gazed around them at the crowds, eyes huge.

"Have you been anywhere like this before?" Duo asked.

She shook her head.

"Are you hungry?"

She frowned. "I dunno."

Heero glanced at them both. "I think we should keep moving."

"Okay."

Heero tilted his head to look at the darkness above the skylight. "It's night. What time is this station on?"

"Lunar Mean Time. Vegas is on Earth Central Mountain Time."

Heero glanced at his watch and adjusted it.

They were halfway across the elevated walkway to the parking garage when Heero fell back to nudge Duo in the shoulder with his. "We're being followed."

"You think? Where?"

Heero glanced to his right and left. Duo looked towards the other elevated walkway a few hundred yards to his left. Dark figures were creeping along, trying to look inconspicuous. Duo didn't need to look to his right to know he would see the same thing on the other walkway.

"Whatcha think?" He asked.

"Where's the car?"

"Somewhere in G4. I dunno, I didn't park it."

Heero sighed, but Duo couldn't quite tell if it was impatience or if he was just thinking. 

"It's a black and silver POS with bat-wing decals on the back."

"You're kidding me."

"I didn't do the decals. Hilde thought it was funny."

They stepped out into the garage, stopping right in the entranceway. "That one?" Heero asked, nodding almost straight ahead towards the far side of the garage at a matte black car with the silver edging, its shape reminiscent of an old twentieth century Duster.

Duo squinted and leaned. "Yeah. Don't say anything about my ride."

"I said nothing."

"Plan?"

"Split up?"

"Who takes the kid?"

Heero hesitated. "I do. They'll follow me. You get the car and pick me up." He seized Ahli and tossed her onto his back in one smooth move as she squeaked in surprise, already taking off running, seemingly for the exit. Duo sighed and grinned, and launched himself straight forward.

Gunfire rang out around them. Duo dodged between two cars and the window beside him shattered. "How many times am I going to be shot at today?" He groaned. He crept over to the edge, there was a good six foot or so of open space between this side of the garage and the other, a guardrail on each edge.

He stood up, then ducked down again. The concrete above him exploded. "Oh come on!" He took a running start, keeping low, then leaped up on the rail and launched himself over.

He tripped on the other rail, rather than land on it, and landed hard on the hood of some sort of sedan, rolling off of it as bullets pinged around him. He hit the concrete with an "oof."

He was really starting to hate this day.

He crawled rather painfully alongside the car, fishing for his keys, then ran for his car across the lane. There was no shot; obviously they were angling for him. He hit the button on his remote and the thing beeped right before he wrenched the drivers door open (left side, like most cars on L2) and threw himself inside. A bullet tonked off the back window without even cracking it.

The engine complained a bit as he turned the key in the ignition, then roared to life with a sound that should not come from a car that looked the way his did. He swung it out and accelerated towards the exit.

Several men leaped out to fire at him but he didn't even blink, downshifting and pulling up on the brake so the car fishtailed around the corner, slamming into one of the men as the other dove for cover. "You miss me, Buddy?" he asked it. "I've got a job for you, lemmie tell ya."

Tires screeched as he swung around the next corner, a figure leaped out in front of him and he hit the brakes as Heero slammed his hands on the hood. "Careful!"

Heero shoved Ahli in the back seat before sliding in beside Duo. "Buckle up!" Duo told her. She obeyed instantly, even as the car screeched forward.

Heero looked over the interior, a dark plush with a hint of red, and the dash, which was covered in gadgets and terminals, then at Duo. "This isn't want it looks like, is it?"

Duo smiled grimly as he turned another corner. A bullet hit the passenger window; Heero jumped, then looked at Duo. "It's bulletproof."

"Yup. Hold on." He smashed through the barrier without even slowing down and swung out onto the street. "We need to get to the 693. It's the main highway that runs through here. My place is a ways away."

"Roger."

Duo grinned and seized the gearshift as they shot through the dark city streets. Fortunately, he knew this entire colony like the back of his hand.

They hadn't been going along two minutes before Heero looked over his shoulder. "We have company."

"How many?"

"Not sure. Maybe three?'

Duo accelerated, swinging through traffic. Ahli squeaked from the back seat. "You're safe back there," Duo assured her. "Heero, glove compartment."

He flipped it open, there were two large caliber pistols and a couple rounds of ammo tucked neatly in a hidden rack. "Nice."

"Oh, and there's a grenade launcher under the seat."

"Seriously?" Heero doubled over to look. "There is."

"Last resort, I think. Remember we _don't_ want to blow up a colony this time."

"_Don't_ blow up the colony. Got it." He loaded a pistol with a grim expression.

Duo sighed. "Sorry. I probably shouldn't have asked for you to get involved in this mess."

"If I didn't want to be here I wouldn't have come."

There was a tonk on the back windshield. "Ahli, think you can get down? A little lower, Hon." Duo called. "Well, I can't say I'm sorry you're here."

"You just did."

"No, that was a personal apology. I can be sorry I dragged you into this and not sorry you're--" the car jerked as it was hit from behind. "Dammit! Fuckers!" He grimaced as he remembered his passenger. "Uh, I mean--uh--those jerks!"

Heero gave him a strange look as he unbuckled and hit the window control. Hot processed air whipped in around them as he leaned out to fire at the car behind them.

"Oh, Dude. This might come in handy." Duo reached over and a moon roof slid open above them.

Heero looked up. "It might." He drew his legs up to the seat before turning and standing up, facing backwards. There were several shots exchanged and the car behind weaved away.

"Nice one!"

Heero slid back down, hair messier than ever. "I just startled them, I think."

There was a slam as the car behind tried to come along side them and run sidelong into them. Heero fell against the door, nearly kicking Duo as he fought to stay upright.

"Careful," Duo grated, accelerating away from the other car. "Hold on to something."

Heero straightened and braced himself as Duo accelerated into the right lane, then suddenly swung the car around a sharp ninety degrees to the left in the intersection, and shot off across several lanes of squealing brakes.

There were more squeals and a crash behind them. Heero leaned to look. "One got a little dented."

"Who are these jerks?"

"Could be anyone."

"They aren't L2 gangs."

"What makes you think so?"

"This just isn't their MO," he replied. "Trust me."

"I do."

Duo glanced at him, unable to contain a smirk. "Well, there's your first mistake." There was a spark and sharp noise as the side mirror cracked. "Hey!"

Heero grunted and stood up on the seat again, just as they were rammed again. Duo could hear the shots but they were getting bolder, and he guessed Heero wouldn't be aiming to kill yet. Would they realize that?

And then he saw the headlights coming right for him. A bullet struck the top of the windshield.

"Oh fuck me," he groaned. "Heero! Get down!" When he didn't respond he reached over and seized his leg, giving it a shake.

Heero twisted to look down. "Duo?"

"Problems! Hold on!" He hit the accelerator.

"Don't worry about me!"

"I'll hold you to that." He swung the car around once again, a sharp right that made Heero fight for purchase. It was a narrow alleyway, and for the moment, they gained some on their pursuers.

Heero slid back down, wide eyed, he looked at Duo a moment then sank into the seat.

"You said don't worry about you."

"I know. It's all good. Still know where you're going?"

"Yeah, there's a back way to the highway from here."

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"I think I hear sirens."

"Oh. Yay." Duo sighed.

"I assume the police aren't entirely trustworthy here?"

"Not really." He swung the car out of the alley. He could see the lights of the highway ahead of him. He hit the ramp without braking and merged without looking. Fortunately the traffic wasn't heavy and he was able to accelerate quickly. Heero rolled up the window.

"Don't they respect the Sweeper Group?"

"Oddly enough, no. A lot of the authority here resents our presence. We're too honest for their liking, I guess." He didn't add that the Sweepers and the local authority was starting to butt heads on more and more issues regarding the cluster.

"Then we had better not stop for them."

"Don't worry." Duo shifted and the car jumped forward. He glanced back to look at Ahli, she was actually asleep, slouched in the seat. "Kids."

Heero glanced back at her too. "Probably better." He straightened. "Someone's coming up on us fast."

Duo leaned a bit to check the cracked mirror. "Sure is. Here we go again." He accelerated, hoping to keep ahead of them.

No such luck. They were up on his bumper in an instant. A second car started up on the drivers side. Duo caught sight of an arm reach from the neighboring car and there was a shot. The car swerved.

"He's shooting the tires."

Duo snorted. "He can try."

"The tires too, huh?"

"Oh yeah."

They were hit from the back and the side at the same time. "Oh this sucks! Hold on." There was a barrier rising up in the median up ahead. Duo slowed just a bit to let them come up on him, then yanked the wheel hard, slamming into the other car and driving it into the median. It smashed into the barrier at full speed with a crash and shower of sparks.

"Acceptable," said Heero, glancing back.

They were slammed again. Hard. "Oh, I think I pissed them off now."

Heero doubled over, dragging the launcher out from under the seat and quickly assembling it. "Grenade? This is more like a rocket launcher," Heero said.

"It does have a nice kick," Duo admitted. They jerked again. "Hurry up, Buddy."

"It takes as long as it takes. Can't you perform some evasive maneuvers?"

"Sure, but we have another problem."

Heero paused, Duo pointed straight ahead to a distant line of red and blue flashing lights. "There's a roadblock ahead. Oof!"

Heero nodded, standing on the seat, then actually pushing himself even higher, dragging the launcher with him. There was a fizz and a hollow pop, as he shot one nearly straight up.

"What the hell? A practice launch? We don't have that many!"

There was another launch, and a moment later there was an explosion in the highway directly behind them which sent their pursuer flying. "Look out!" Heero ordered as he slid back down.

"I'm looking I'm looking!" Duo wove the car to avoid the debris that spattered around them. "Good shot! But what about the roadblock?"

"Center lane."

"There's a hole?"

"Punch it."

Duo obeyed, but as the line took shape before them he shook his head. "I--I don't see any hole."

"Trust me."

"Dude, this car is bulletproof not--"

Something smoking and sparking fell into view. Duo's eyes went wide as the grenade landed right between two cars, blowing them apart, opening a wide, flaming gap before them.

"I hate you!" Duo snarled as the car shot through, bullets tonking around them.

"I know," said Heero, glancing behind them. "The last one is still after us."

"They have a death wish."

They were coming up fast on the passenger side. Heero rolled down the window and leaned out again to take a shot.

They came up along side them; men with scarves around their faces and dark glasses. The one behind the driver leaned out and caught Heero's arm, yanking hard; Heero went half out the window before yanking back; the two men grappled as the two cars sped along.

"Oh, give me a break. Heero!"

The man shoved Heero's head against the side mirror hard enough to made a noisy clunk. Heero punched him in return. Both Duo and the driver of the car were trying to drive and watch at the same time. There was a thrum of a hovercopter coming up on them. A voice was buzzing for them to stand down.

"Great. Just great." Duo reached for the other gun and poked Heero's butt with it so he knew it was coming, then leaned to aim it at the other driver.

It was a good shot. The man slumped instantly and the car swerved; Duo dropped the gun and grabbed Heero's belt, yanking him back as the cars pulled away; the car dropped behind and smashed into the side guardrail.

Heero slid back into the seat, instantly turning his gun on Duo. "Did you put a gun to my ass?" he asked.

"I was warning you that I was about to shoot! Chill out! I would not shoot you in the ass! I swear to God!"

Heero lowered the gun instantly, a warning glare in his eyes. "We have bigger problems."

"What?"

"We're being tracked by a police hovercopter?"

"Oh, that." Duo tapped his CPS then flipped the screen over to reveal a keypad, tapping in a code. An infrared view of the road came up on the windshield in front of him and he cut the headlights. He then tapped another code and the dash lights all went green. Almost instantly, the copter began a search pattern above them.

Heero stared at the screen, then at Duo. "Are we…off the radar?"

"Yup."

"This is Deathscythe's stealth technology."

"Yeah, well," Duo sighed. "The thing is, I thought it'd be a shame if we didn't get anything from the Gundams except, you know, war and killing and all that, so before I blew Deathscythe I stripped him of all his best defensive technology. I didn't keep any of the weaponry or anything."

Heero didn't answer, he just sat back in the seat. Duo shrugged and made his way to the off ramp, away from the highway and the searching police, down into the downtown district he called home when he needed to be out of sight for a while. Another button opened a private garage, which he pulled into with a heavy sigh, bringing the door down behind them as he cut the engine. "Well, any car chase you can walk away from, hm?"

Heero just gave him a wry look as he reached back and pulled the sleeping child from the back seat. "Let's go. We have to contact Une."

"I'd like to contact Quatre and make sure they got out of there okay."

"I'm sure he'd like to hear the same from us but priorities."

Duo led Heero up a set of stairs to his studio apartment. Heero laid Ahli gently down on the couch as Duo kicked off his shoes and tossed his jacket aside, then went to the bathroom to stand in front of the mirror, pulling his shirt open to reveal a heavy bruise on his abdomen. "That bitch."

"You okay?"

"Sure. Are you? You took a nice blow to the head there."

"Hm? Oh, the mirror. It's not bleeding."

"Good. There's some ice packs in the freezer if you decide you need one. And some drinks in the fridge. We're both gonna feel this in the morning, I bet."

"You live here?"

Duo came out then, hanging the shirt on the door and going to find a t-shirt of his liking. He paused to look at Heero. "Yeah. Sometimes. Why?"

"No reason."

"Yeah, well, see that door? It locks from the _inside_. I like that in a residence."

Heero exhaled rather noisily and flopped down in the beaten leather armchair Duo had found on the side of the road. "I always fought for peace. If it gives people peace to think that I'm safely contained why not? I wasn't mistreated."

Duo turned on him. "Because. It's not your responsibility to sacrifice yourself for that sort of peace."

"We're risking our lives right now for peace."

"Yes, for actual peace. You being 'safely contained' does nothing for actual peace. It's just peace of mind, and that doesn't exist." He found a black t-shirt he liked in one of his piles and slid it on, then found a deep maroon short sleeved button down shirt to go over it. "It sucks, and you know it, or you wouldn't have gone wandering off. And it is mistreatment! Because they're treating you like less than you are."

"We've had this argument."

"Yeah, I know." He found his phone in his jacket. "So, whatever, right? Earth? This is Night reporting."

"Night," Une's voice was clipped and calm. "Status."

"Yeah, Lancaster and I acquired the target."

"We are tracking your location. Remain where you are. Any difficulties?"

"Many. But we'll save that for the report. Has York or Metal reported in?"

"York reported that they had come under fire and been forced to retreat. So the target is secure?"

"Yeah. They're okay, though?"

"As far as we know."

"Good. We had to bugger out of there pretty fast. We'll wait for you."

"Yes. Thank you, for your help."

Duo blinked. "No problem." He hung up. "We gotta go. Now."

"Why? What did she say?"

"She thanked me."

Heero was on his feet in an instant. "Let's go."

Duo grinned as he laced up and buckled his second favorite pair of boots. "Thank you," was Une's safety word. There had probably been a gun to her head that entire conversation. He slid on his jacket, then started packing up some necessities. Weapons, mostly. "They must be desperate for her," Duo sighed. "To infiltrate the Preventers? Where will we go?"

"Preventers headquarters on Earth," replied Heero, going to scoop up Ahli. "They're secure enough there."

A harsh thought occurred to him. "What if they've done the same to the Sweepers?"

"Contact Alexander once we're on the move."

Duo nodded. They went out the back door and back down to the garage. Duo stopped to peer out the window. The sun shields were cracking a gray dawn light upon the street. "Seems quiet."

"Could be a trap."

"I know." He gave Heero an apologetic look. "Guess you're stuck with me for a while more, huh?"

Heero shrugged. "You are my boss, officially."

Duo snorted and climbed into the car.


	6. The Highway

The explosion rocked the station, bringing morning rush hour traffic to a standstill on the busy highway. Duo could see the smoke trailing along the curve of the colony walls, right in the direction they had been going: one of the Sweeper's private spaceports. The car was boxed in the highway; they hadn't moved for close to an hour.

"Not me this time," said Heero, digging through a bag of some sort of granola trail mix he liked.

"Thank you for that scintillating analysis of the situation," said Duo, leaning back in the seat. "Now what?"

"They can't get to us easily without us seeing them first." Heero held out the bag but Duo waved it away. He twisted in the seat and offered it to Ahli, who had a bottle of water and a bag of convenience store foods beside her.

"What is it?" she asked, leaning forward.

"Rabbit food," said Duo, still watching the smoke. "Heero's a big bunny, did you know that?"

Ahli laughed, but took a handful of nut clusters and dried fruit, "Mmm"-ing behind them as she nibbled.

"Great. Now you're a bunny too."

She giggled.

"Better for you than pretzels and whatever that thing was."

"It was a breakfast burrito, and it was delicious, thank you."

"It smelled awful."

"It smelled great."

"You put hot sauce on it."

"You like spicy stuff. I remember that about you."

"Not with eggs."

"Then you're missing out. Better than some pieces of fruit and rabbit food."

"It's not rabbit food. It's a high-energy mix."

"It's a high-fiber mix. I'm not pulling over for you in an hour."

Ahli giggled from the back seat. "You two are funny."

Duo looked back at her. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Are you best friends?"

Duo blinked at her. "Uh…I dunno. What do you know about best friends?"

"I read a book about best friends," she said thoughtfully, picking at a thread on her stocking. "And they did everything together. But then they had a fight."

"Did they make up in the end?" Duo asked.

"Yup. They said they were sorry and hugged."

"That's nice. Heero and I don't hug much, to be honest."

"It made me wonder if…if I could have a best friend someday."

Duo smiled. "Well, sure you will. I was all grown up before Heero and I became friends. Sometimes it take a long time to find just the right person to be friends with, you know. Now I have a lot of good friends."

"You didn't have any friends where you were," said Heero. It wasn't a question.

"No. There were nice people, and toys and books, but no real friends like in the stories."

"Well, Heero and I will be your friends, and that's a start, right?"

"Right. Heero, can I have more rabbit food?"

"Aww, toldja you're a bunny!"

Heero smirked and held the bag back to her.

There was a banging at the drivers window.

All three of them jumped and Heero and Duo had their guns out instantly. A young woman with jagged auburn-dyed hair and green eyes was peering in with a sardonic grin on her face. She was wearing a gray duster over the dark colors of the Sweeper Group. Duo made a noise and lowered his gun, rolling down the window. "What he hell are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, and it wasn't easy."

"I bet. Ah, Heero Yuy, this is Envoy Alexander of the Sweeper Group."

"So you're the famous 01. Nice to meet you."

Heero lowered his gun. "Likewise. How's your uncle?"

"Stubborn as ever," she replied. "So, I got your e-mail about the launch site, but as you can see, we've had a setback."

"What happened?"

She sighed. "You know Dix Morgan?"

"Yeah."

"Turns out he's leading a Sweeper faction who wants this weapon for themselves, to help take over L2." 

"Who's been reading my dream diary?"

"Sure. They just blew the spaceport sky high, I assume to keep you guys in." She shook her head. "I didn't even know there was a faction of Sweepers thinking that way. I thought they were all behind us."

"But they're not."

"No. They're working with some hard core gangsters."

"Ex-Romefeller backing?"

"Yes. It looks that way." She sighed. "It's a real blow to us, Duo. I don't know who to trust, to be honest. Dix was in real close with a lot of our operations. I hope this isn't organization-wide."

"You'll have to treat everyone like a potential enemy until proven otherwise," said Heero.

"Easier said than done," Lex replied. "We work as a network. We all rely on each other."

"I hope I can trust you," Duo said quietly, looking at her.

She shook her head. "We've known each other a long time."

"Yeah, I know," he replied.

She smiled. "Well, while you're making up your mind about me, here." She held out a large black wallet. Duo took it and opened it up to reveal a handful of large bills and a gold credit card, along with some Sweeper access cards. "Limitless and untraceable," she said. "And I've got my personal guys at the South end terminal waiting for you."

"Trustworthy?" Heero asked.

"God, I hope so."

"We may need some fake ids," Duo admitted, getting out of the car.

Lex shrugged. "We can arrange something."

"How are we supposed to get out of here?"

She pointed to the other side of the highway, where a black and silver jeep rested in the median. "You guys take my ride, and I'll take this one."

"You just love driving my car," Duo grumbled as he got out, going around to the trunk to grab their stuff.

"You betcha. You have all the best toys. Oh!" She blinked at Ahli as she climbed out beside Heero with the groceries. "I didn't even see her. Who's this?"

"Uh…a friend we picked up."

"Oh. Weird. You want me to take her?" She asked, looking at Duo's bag.

"No, she needs to go with us."

Lex stared at him, then looked between Heero and the girl. "I don't get it."

"Maybe that's better, huh?" Duo asked lowly.

"Yeah. Shit, Duo. Is this worse than we thought?"

"If we have traitors in the group, it already is. The Preventers have been compromised, too. Don't trust anyone you don't know personally, and even then, be careful."

"I will." She went to slide in the driver's seat, pulling out a mini laptop as she did so. Duo took one last look back at his car before he and Heero took Ahli's hands and crossed the highway to the median. They climbed over the barrier and into the jeep, Duo gave a last wave as he pulled back onto the empty highway and headed towards the south side spaceport. 

Duo glanced at the CPS, which already had their destination programmed in. "Damn. It's gonna take a while."

"At least we're moving," said Heero. He glanced over his shoulder. "You really trust her."

"Yeah. Howard, well, you know him. He's as reliable as they come."

"Did he raise her?"

"I don't know. They don't talk about the family much. But I trust her as much as I trust him."

"What was that about a dream of taking over L2?"

"Oh." He felt himself pale a bit. "Um, the Sweeper Group has, you know, talked about maybe trying to clean up the cluster a little."

"By taking over?"

"Well, it…was discussed. But not with super weapons of any sort, and not for our own power. We just hate seeing colonies in such bad shape, you know? It would be nice if we had some honest administrators and a way to deal with the organized crime. I was thinking more a reorganization, rather than a takeover."

"That's reasonable, but is it obtainable without bloodshed and a great deal of chaos and upheaval?"

"I honestly don't know. That's what we've discussed."

Actually, some of the discussions had leaned towards exactly how much bloodshed was acceptable. Of course no one wanted more conflict but L2 just wasn't prospering the way the other colonies had after the war. Eventually, something had to be done.

But that was a worry for another day. He had more than enough problems right now.

Heero tilted the seat back some and closed his eyes. Ahli leaned forward to peer at him. "Are you gonna sleep, Heero?"

"Yeah."

"You feel like sleeping?" Duo asked her.

"No."

"Oh. Okay."

"Can I have more rabbit food?"

"It's in the grocery bag," said Heero without opening his eyes. She instantly turned and started rummaging. "Eat all you want," Heero added.

"Thank you!" She sat back with the bag.

Duo glanced at her in the rear view mirror. "Who taught you such good manners?"

"I dunno."

"Who took care of you?"

"Vanny."

"Vanny? Vanny who?"

"I dunno. She was just Vanny. Her and Maria and the scientist man, and the pretty lady with the dress."

Duo frowned some. "Do you ever remember a man with a cane and weird eyes, with a claw for a hand? It would have been a long time ago."

Ahli frowned as she thought about it. "I dunno," she admitted.

"It's okay. He was a scientist man, too."

"Oh."

"He may have been your scientist man's boss once. Heero knew him better."

Ahli looked at Heero, but he didn't move or respond. Duo smirked. He had always been impressed by the man's ability to sleep like the dead, anytime and anywhere, as long as he felt secure enough. "He's asleep?"

"Yeah." Duo reached over and poked him. There was no response. "He's out cold."

Ahli poked him too. "I guess so."

Duo snorted a laugh. "Hey, you ever play Twenty Questions?"

"No."

"One of us thinks of something, and the other one asks yes or no questions, and tries to guess what it is."

"That sounds fun."

"Wanna play while we drive along?"

"Okay."

Duo grinned. 

~

"Is it green?"

"No."

"Is it red?"

"No!"

Duo looked thoughtful as he took the off ramp. "Is it…black?"

"Yes!"

"Oh. Okay. Is it something you eat?"

"Eww! No!"

"Is it something you…um…drive?"

"No."

He sighed. "Is it bigger than a bread box?"

"What's a bread box?"

"Good question. Is it bigger than a sandwich?"

"Yes."

"Bigger than a suitcase?"

"Uh….um…no."

"Okay. Is it fluffy?"

"No."

"Is it pointy?"

"No!"

Heero shifted some in the seat. "You wear it?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Yes!"

"Ah! I shoulda asked that question! Does it have zippers?"

"Yes."

"Is it…my jacket?"

"Yeah!"

Duo laughed. Heero stretched some and blinked at the road signs. "We're almost there."

"Yup."

He put the seat up. "ETA?"

Duo threw him a look. "A few minutes. Have we figured out what exactly the best route to Earth is?"

"Are we really going to Earth?" Ahli gasped.

"That is the plan," Duo told her. "But I warn you it could change at any time."

"Oh. Okay."

Heero looked thoughtful. "We should try to misdirect them."

"Right. Make it look like we have another destination."

"L4?"

"Back to Quatre? Maybe. Sorta obvious."

"That's the point?"

Duo shrugged. "Unless you think it's too obvious."

Heero shook his head. "I don't know their primary mission, so it's hard to analyze their tactics, or how we're being analyzed."

"The worst part is that there's more than one faction, it seems."

Heero frowned at the highway.

Duo slowed as he came around to the terminal, a Sweeper came over to the passenger window, which Heero rolled down before leaning back. Duo smiled. "Hey."

"Lex told me to wait for you," he said. "We'll take the car for you, Sir."

"Sure thing."

They climbed out and grabbed their stuff. "We have some boarding passes which should get you wherever you need to go."

"Thanks." Duo took the proffered envelope and waved to the man as he sped off in the jeep.

"Do we trust them?"

Duo shrugged. "We're at the point where we have to. Let's not tell anyone where we're headed, though. Hear that, Ahli? If someone asks where you're going, just say you don't know."

"Okay."

They used the passes to get through the checkpoints with ease, and after a few minutes of debate chose a shuttle heading for the Moon.

And Duo had thought the shuttle to L4 was crappy. His seat wobbled unnaturally as he settled himself; Heero had to catch the seat in front of him to keep from flying backwards.

"Oh this is good," said Duo.

"We could just get suits and float to the Moon," said Heero. "Might be safer."

"Hey," snapped the somewhat sturdy flight attendant, who just happened to be passing by at the moment. "We're doing the best we can here, so if you don't like it we'll be more than happy to oblige, but without the suit."

Heero stared at her, blinking, but Duo laughed. "You got it! He's just having some trouble with his seat, is all."

She looked at it, then seized it and shoved it upright with enough force to nearly throw Heero out of it. It clicked into place. "There. Better?"

Heero glanced at Duo, who gave him a slight nod. "Much," Heero said with as sheepish a look as he could manage. "Thank you."

"Behave," she admonished them with a warning glare, then turned away.

Duo squelched a snigger as Heero turned incredulous eyes upon him. "Ah, that's priceless."

Ahli peered at them from her window seat beside them. "Why was that funny?" she asked Duo. "She yelled at us."

"Ah, it just was," said Duo. "She didn't mean to yell. She's just grumpy because she knows this shuttle isn't in top condition and she has to be on he feet all day listening to people complain."

The shuttle bounced out of the bay and started off on its three hour journey. Duo tried to nap for a while but couldn't. The seat was too rickety and the atmosphere smelled funny. He ended up watching Heero flipping through his phone's web-browser, seemingly for Moon destinations. "How well do you know the Moon?" Heero asked finally.

"Know it? Almost as well as V08. No worries."

Ahli leaned against the window. "I've never been to the Moon," she said.

"It's different," Duo admitted. "Don't lean too hard against that," he couldn't help but add. She adjusted herself to lean beside it.

Heero pointed to the sub-lunar train map. "We take one of these?"

"Yeah. We'll head for the interior. We can get anywhere from there."

Heero nodded. Duo jumped up rather suddenly. "I'm gonna hit the head. Be right back." He climbed over Heero and headed for the back of the cabin.

He rubbed his eyes as he peered in the dirty mirror, trying to remember when he last slept--really slept, not just napped. Oh yeah. At Holiday's place. It seemed like so long ago but it was barely twenty-four hours. He had been up longer than that in his day. During the war. He promised himself he'd sleep on the sub-lunar.

He stepped out, stepping aside to accommodate an old lady, pausing to glance around the cabin. His eyes fell upon a pale man in baggy earthy-colored clothes, his eyes fixed on Heero in that casual way that wasn't casual at all. The moment Duo stepped out from the alcove he glanced away towards the window.

Duo slid back into his seat with a sigh. "Miss me?" he asked his traveling companions.

He was caught between two surprisingly similar incredulous expressions. "You were only gone a couple minutes," said Ahli.

"Oh, yeah. You need to go?"

She shook her head before peering back out the window.

Duo leaned close to Heero, as if looking down to see what he was doing with the phone. "We're being watched. Seven O'clock."

"The one in the baggy clothes?"

"Yeah. You noticed him?"

Heero darkened the display on the phone and tilted it, Duo caught a glimpse of the man's reflection. "I thought he might but it was hard to tell."

"Oh he so is."

Heero nodded. Duo straightened, leaning the other way to nudge Ahli. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said. "The Moon is so big. It doesn't look that big from the colonies."

"Well, things always look smaller when they're far away."

She turned a funny smile upon him. "I know that. But, it's still a lot bigger than it seems."

"That's because it's farther away than it seems," Duo replied. "Space is awful big."

"I heard that Mars is as big as Earth, but all you see is a little, little," she put her fingers up to indicate holding something tiny. "A little speck like a star."

"You're right."

"Have you been to Mars?"

"No, not yet."

"I was invited," said Heero.

Duo straightened so fast his seat rattled dangerously. "What?"

"Zechs sent me a personal invitation while I was in residence. He said if they don't appreciate me here perhaps I should go elsewhere."

"Is…is that why you were traveling Earth? Were you deciding whether to leave it or not?"

"Not exactly."

"Are you going to go?" Ahli asked.

"No, at least I have no plan to at this present time," Heero allowed. "But it's an open invitation."

"But Mars?" Duo sat back some. "I hear it's a deathtrap."

"First stage terraforming was never an easy prospect," Heero replied.

Duo just stared. Heero looked at him curiously. "You don't think I should go."

Duo paused a moment. "Can I reserve my answer for the moment?" He didn't want to open his mouth without thinking and sound like an ass.

"That's fine." Heero turned his attention back to his phone, accepting Duo at his word.

Duo didn't get any rest at all for the rest of the trip.


	7. The Moon

The Far Side Terminal was like most others, save this structure was partially carved from the very moon itself, the gray stone polished until it gleamed in the artificial lights. They each took one of Ahli's hands and walked her between them. "The sub-lunar is on the lowest level," said Duo, not bothering to glance at a map. The Sweepers had helped build this place.

The escalator was massive, dropping down into unseen darkness below. They leaned on the rails as Ahli stared with wide eyes. "How far down does it go?"

"A ways," admitted Duo. "I don't know exactly. Quarter mile or something?"

Heero shook his head. "Only the Sweepers would build something using standard units of measure."

"We believe there's more to life than ones and zeros."

Heero snorted and looked over the massive flat-screens playing advertisements as they descended, glanced up, then looked at Duo. "He's following us."

Duo yawned, glancing up as he did so. The man in the baggy clothes was far above them but distinct on the stairs. "You know, if he wanted to be inconspicuous he shoulda dressed better."

"You should talk."

"Has anyone noticed us? I don't think so."

"Except him."

Duo shrugged. "Shall we make a break for it?"

Heero hesitated, then shook his head. "No."

Duo wondered if he was already formulating a plan. He grinned and tousled Ahli's hair, who appeared to be memorized by an advertisement for some sort of dish detergent.

The lower level had more rounded edges than above. They headed through moonstone archways; the distinct hum of the sub-lunar echoed off the walls. Duo grinned at the youth in the ticket booth as he got three one-way tickets for Central Plaza. The young man looked at him strangely. "Um, don't you want a round trip or a connection?" he asked.

"You have ticket booths in Central, right?"

"Well, yes…"

"We're on vacation. Flying free. We'll decide where we want to go once we're there."

"Sounds fun," said the young man, smiling then. "But just remember the rush hour trains get full fast."

"Thanks for the tip." Duo took the tickets and slid them away, looking around. Heero and Ahli were at a landing several feet away, looking over the edge.

Duo came over, grinning. Below them spread a landscape of monorail tracks, with sleek, rounded trains going in and out with a distinctive, indescribable hum. He leaned on the rail beside them. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Are we really gonna ride on one?"

"Sure are," said Duo. He reached over and nudged Heero, who had his phone out again, the screen actually off, angling it down the hall behind them as he leaned on the rail. "See anyone?"

"No." He took the ticket Duo offered him and slid it into his jacket.

Ahli peeped at it. "What are you looking for?"

He flipped it closed. "Nothing."

It exploded in his hands.

Ahli gave a scream even as Heero fell back and Duo grabbed her and yanked her away. "What the hell?"

"A shot. Let's go." Heero clenched bloody fists as they headed for the stairway towards the platform. "Duo? Where are we going?"

"Ah, Seven. Platform seven, Train 242." Duo looked around. "I see nothing! I didn't even hear it! Where did it come from?"

"Below. Take the far stairs. Not these."

Duo cursed as they ran across the pedestrian bridge. "Where is he? Where is he?"

"I don't see him."

Duo ran to the side and peered over, a figure in brown was running below them, leaping the rails. "There! He's parallel to us!"

"Don't miss the train," said Heero, running right to the side and throwing himself over the edge.

"No! Dumbass!" Duo howled after him. "I _hate_ when he does that!"

"Will he be okay?"

"Probably. Still does my heart no good!"

They were trading blows between trains. Duo's stomach was knotted as they made it to the stairs and headed down towards the walkway between platforms. Fortunately, there weren't many trains on this end and few pedestrians. Seven was behind them and off to the left. A train took off and the pale man came running right for them, holding something to his mouth as he ran. Heero was nowhere in sight.

Something small and fast flew by Duo's arm, right by Ahli, and pinged the concrete barrier behind him. "What the hell?"

The man had made it to the walkway. Duo shoved Ahli behind him. "Back off, Buddy."

"Stand aside. It's now over for the abominable threat to peace," said the man.

"Oh, not one of you wackos," Duo groaned. "Don't you people ever get tired of the same old song and dance?"

Heero was climbing up from the rails onto the walkway, eyes fixed on his enemy. Oh, that guy was so dead. Duo just kept his eyes on the guy. "Is your group one of the ones who stormed the hotel?"

"Certainly not. We don't resort to such violent tactics."

"Then what do you call this?"

"A regrettable sacrifice for peace." He raised something to his mouth again and Duo realized it was a blowgun. As he took aim, Duo backed up, holding onto Ahli.

The man put his mouth to the blowgun.

Heero jumped, tackling him. They went flying off the walkway again. "Go!" Heero shouted.

Duo seized Ahli and headed for platform Seven, where the train was just opening its doors for passengers. "Let's go."

"But, but what about Heero?"

"He'll be okay. He'll catch up."

"Duo, the people chasing us…" 

"We'll talk once we're inside," he said, pulling her onto the train.

Though from the outside it looked like a rounded subway car, inside it was set up like the old-timey trains, with individual compartments running down one side, each one with a pair of bench seats facing each other. He found an empty one and guided her in, sitting close to the door so he could lean out and watch for his friend.

The windows across from the cabin overlooked the walkway and from time to time he caught a flash of movement, but otherwise there was nothing.

The train whistled. Ahli came up to sidle against him. "He's not coming, is he?"

Duo looked at her. "Ahli, that guy out there is Heero Yuy," he said. "Heero Yuy always shows up when he's needed. I can guarantee he'll be here."

The conductor came through checking tickets and closing compartment doors. Duo rubbed his temples; he thought he caught the flash of security personnel running along the walkway.

The train jerked into motion. Duo groaned. Ahli sat back in the seat, looking fretful.

The compartment door slid open, making them both jump and look up; Heero leaned in the doorway, breathing hard, his expensive gray jacket ripped. "I'm here," he said. "I'll be back." He headed down the train car.

Duo looked at Ahli with a grin. "Toldja," he said.

She smiled.

~

Duo slept, the quiet hum of the train quickly lulling him into troubled dreams where he kept being chased by cannibals wearing pieces of mobile suit. "Gundams are like lobster," one said. "You eat the inside."

Heero had returned to the compartment with a first aid kit and some wet cloths he had somehow procured, which he had silently offered to Duo as he sat beside him. His hands weren't terribly damaged but it was too hard for him to clean and bandage them by himself. "Was that really a blowgun?" Duo asked him as he worked.

"Seemed like," said Heero.

"What happened?"

"We fought. He tried to fire it at me while we were still grappling and accidentally inhaled."

"You are kidding me!"

Heero shook his head.

"You killed a man with shtick?"

"I don't quite know what that means. I didn't kill him. He made a mistake. He was still alive when I left him, but he didn't look very good."

"Trowa is gonna die when I tell him."

"I might first," Heero admitted. "I think he might have scratched me with something." He pulled his torn sleeve to reveal a minor scratch which was already swollen and discolored like it was infected.

"That looks bad," Duo admitted. "Want me to see if I can suck some poison out?"

"It's not a snake bite."

"Same concept, maybe."

"It isn't as deep. It just needs a good cleaning, I think."

"Take off your jacket and I'll do it."

Heero agreed, and Duo scrubbed the hell out of the scratch, first with the cloths, then with the alcohol wipes in the kit. It must hurt like hell but Heero never flinched. "I think it looks a little better," he admitted.

"We'll watch it," said Heero. "If it gets worse we'll have to cut it out."

Duo winced. He had performed field surgery in his day and had no desire to ever do so again. It would be a horrible operation and they both knew it. "Maybe we can find a doctor before it's that dire."

Heero gave him his best skeptical look but said nothing. Once he was fixed up, Duo had claimed the bench they were on in the name of Maxwell, and stretched out on it to catch some shut-eye. It would be a good six hours to Central Plaza and he could get some good rest--if those cannibals would just stop chasing him.

Eventually, the hum of the train and quiet voices filtered through to him as he began to wake up. "It doesn't?" Ahli was asking.

"No, it means you do what you feel in your heart is right."

"How do you know?" 

"You don't always. But that's usually because of someone else. People will try to tell you how to feel about something, but they aren't always right."

"Are you always right?"

"Not by a long shot. But what do you feel about what I said?"

Duo was listening. What had Heero said?

"I dunno. I guess…it sounds right. Does Duo think so?"

"I think he does."

"Is he always right?"

Duo waited for the answer; he heard the quiet huff of Heero's laughter. "Not always, but probably more often than I am. Right, Duo?"

He opened his eyes and smiled. "I am always right. What is Heero telling you, Ahli?"

"That when in doubt, I should follow my emotions. But I'm not sure what that means."

Duo yawned. "You'll figure it out," he said. "How long did I sleep?"

"A few hours," Heero replied.

"How's the arm?"

"Hurts, but no worse, I think."

"Good," he rubbed his eyes. "Ever been to Central Plaza?"

"I came through it a few times," said Heero. "Never stopped."

"Aw, it's great. We are stopping."

"Why?"

"Because we have been continually on the run since we were in the Titan and it might be nice to take a breather."

"This is a breather."

Duo sighed. "The kid needs a rest. And some new clothes. I thought we could change her appearance a bit."

Heero silently considered this. "Not long," he said finally.

Duo sighed. It was better than nothing. He closed his eyes for a little bit more rest.

They were all asleep when the train finally stopped with a noisy ping. Duo eyed Heero as they stood up. Was he just a little pale? Maybe it was the lights mixed with worry. "Ya okay, Man?"

"Fine," he said.

Ahli hopped between them instantly and let them take her hands as they stepped out into the Centra Plaza Station.

It once was part of a former OZ base and construction facility, deep under the surface of the Moon, turned into a massive shopping district, three miles long and ten levels high. The trains came in on the third level of one end, the station was always bustling with people. "It's amazing!" cried Ahli.

"Ain't it great? C'mon. We're gonna find somewhere to stay, and then we're going to do some shopping."

"Duo…"

"Look, we have a respite. We can sit and eat something more than rabbit food and decide exactly what our plans are and get some much needed rest."

"We don't know if we have a respite or not. That assassin back there was probably not the only one."

"I'm sure he wasn't. But that's another thing. That wound worries me."

"It's fine."

"Sure it is. But it might help to rest it."

Heero just looked at him. Ahli looked between them. Heero just nodded and motioned for Duo to lead the way. He wasn't happy.

Well, he'd get over it.

They rented a small hotel room, and then Duo took the card to take Ahli shopping while Heero took the cash for some supplies and "stuff." That's the word he used.

"Probably more rabbit food," Duo had said confidentially to Ahli as he walked off.

She giggled. "He's nice," she said. "Even if he doesn't look like it."

"I know he is. He's probably the second nicest guy I know."

"Second nicest?"

"There's one I know a little nicer. He's one of my good friends, too. You'll meet him soon enough, I hope."

He took her to a kid's store, and picked out a couple cute blouses and gazed longingly at some adorable skorts. "I need a niece," he muttered as he rattled through the racks, but then his eyes fell upon the best of all: overalls. Perfect. He got her two pairs, one blue and one khaki. She wore the khaki pair out, Duo pulled back her hair into a ponytail with one of his many extra elastics. "Do you think you could braid it?" she asked.

He gave her ponytail a flip. "Yeah, maybe. We'll see."

He also stopped to get her extra socks and underclothes. "Lost our luggage," he sighed when the girl gave him a questioning look.

"Lemmie guess, it was on the way from L2," said the girl.

"Heh. Yeah, their shuttles are pretty special."

She rolled her eyes and nodded.

They returned to the hotel room to find Heero rummaging through several bags. Sure enough, some of his mix was there in a bag of snacks. There was also a bag of medical supplies, a few pieces of clothing, and a kit of small tools and electronics. "I need the card," he said. "I'm going to get myself a new jacket. Preferably one that can stand up to a blow gun."

Duo snorted and tossed him the card. "Let's get it," he said. "And then go to dinner somewhere yummy."

"Yummy?" Heero asked as they headed out.

"You heard me." He smirked at Ahli. "I made him say yummy," he snickered quietly.

She giggled. Heero sighed.

Duo always thought Heero had good taste, the spandex of his youth notwithstanding. He picked out a nice brown leather jacket much like the one left behind in Vegas, with plenty of pockets and shiny buckles. Duo totally approved.

Heero, however, was totally against them eating in a public restaurant, so they finally compromised and got take out from a nice place and brought it back.

"Okay," said Duo after he had swallowed a big bite of burger. "What exactly are we going to do?"

"Go to Munich," said Heero. "It's unlikely that the Preventers main headquarters have been compromised. It's where Wufei will go."

"Okay, that's a great overall goal, but it isn't a plan. How are we going to do that?"

Heero was quiet for a while, staring thoughtfully at his plate. "Well, we can take a shuttle to one of the other colonies and divert, but that just gives them more chance to catch up with us. Direct may be better."

"Directly to Europe?"

"You have a better idea?"

Duo shrugged. "Not at the moment. I'd turn on my phone to check the schedules but they know to trace mine, and we don't have yours."

"We'll walk down there. Or we could fly something ourselves."

"Might be hard to get hold of a ship but I might be able to swing something."

"Just an option."

Ahli munched on her sandwich and salad. "What are Preventers?"

"They're people who prevent trouble," said Duo. "They do a great job sometimes."

She picked up a lettuce leaf and turned it thoughtfully. "They'll stop people from chasing us?"

"We hope so," said Duo.

"They're chasing me," she said after a moment, looking at Duo. "It's true, isn't it?"

Duo glanced at Heero, then shrugged. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because they think they can use you."

"For what?" she asked.

"They think you can become a soldier like me," Heero answered.

She stopped and stared at Heero. "Like you? Really?"

"They think so," said Duo. "But people aren't things to be used and then thrown away or locked up when we're through with them." He saw Heero look at him but he was looking at Ahli. "They did that to Heero, when he was younger. And now we're trying to keep that from happening to you."

"Oh." She digested this. "Thank you, for helping me."

"You're welcome," said Duo. He glanced at Heero but he was currently focused on his plate. He could only hope that was what they were doing.


	8. The Sky

For what seemed to be the second time that many days, Duo was shaken rather roughly out of a comfortable sleep. "Whaaaat?" he whined, trying to pull the covers over his head.

But they were seized and yanked down. "Duo, I need you."

Duo froze, and peeked over the edge of the blanket. The bathroom light was on and in the glow that filtered out Duo could see Heero sitting there on the edge of the bed, shirtless and looking a bit pale, waiting for him to respond. "Uh, gee, Heero. We're only just getting reacquainted. There's no need to move so fast."

Heero scowled. "Don't make me kill you," he said.

Duo snorted a laugh as he pushed himself up. "Hey, you left yourself wide open for that one. What's up?"

"Come with me." He got up and went into the bathroom.

Duo shoved himself up and followed. Heero was leaning on the sink, the bandage Duo had wrapped around his left arm had been cast aside and his skin was an ugly green and black around the shallow wound. "It's getting worse," he said. "I need it cut out."

Duo winced. "Aww, no, Heero."

Heero pulled a strip of bandage and picked up a rag and a blade, which he held out to Duo. "It needs to go." There was needle and thread beside the basin.

"I--I can't."

"What are you talking about? Of course you can. Do it."

"Please, Heero. Is it really that bad? Can't you wait?"

"No."

Duo made a noise of misery and anger. "Please don't make me do it!"

"Fine." He dropped the blade and rag and slung the bandage around his bicep above the scratch as a makeshift tourniquet, seizing one end with his teeth to tie it. "I'll do it myself," he said as he gave it a tug, then picked up the blade and turned to focus on the wound in the mirror.

Duo wrestled with himself, then groaned and reached out to catch Heero's wrist. It was at a terrible angle for him to do it alone. "Fine. I hate you, and I hate that damned assassin, and I hope he choked on his damned poison. Sit on the edge of the tub."

Heero obeyed in silence. Screw the rag; Duo seized a towel and threw it over his knee as he sat down beside Heero and took the blade. "I hate you," he muttered again.

"I know," Heero replied evenly.

Duo took a deep breath, set his teeth, and started cutting. Heero stiffened but he didn't make a sound, looking away and staying amazingly still. "Do you always have to be so damned stoic?" Duo asked, adjusting the towel so it caught the blood that didn't run down into the tub.

"I've had worse," Heero replied a bit roughly.

"Don't I know it."

"Go as deep as you need to get it all out."

"How about I just cut your arm off, huh?"

"Only if necessary."

Duo glanced at him, unsure if that was some of his dry humor or not.

Heero looked over Duo's shoulder towards the door a moment, then looked away, frowning.

"It's not so deep. This is your bad arm, isn't it?"

Heero glanced at him. "Bad?"

"I thought you had one arm that wasn't as good since the war."

"Only marginally. Yes, it's this one."

"See, I remember all that stuff about you."

"Impressive from someone who hates me."

Duo grimaced. His fingers were slick with blood. "You don't really believe me when I say that do you?"

"Shouldn't I?"

"What, are you fishing for some heartfelt confession?" Duo asked with a smirk.

"Don't be stupid."

"I don't hate you, but I hate that even after all this time, after everything, you still throw yourself in harm's way with so little regard for yourself."

Heero was still a moment. "I'm not the same," he said. "I'm far more careful than I used to be. I don't deliberately set out to self-destruct."

"You sure? I remember some pretty self-destructive habits forming there after the war."

"You should talk," Heero replied evenly.

Duo flinched at that, pausing in his work to look up and meet Heero's eyes for a moment. His face warmed and he pursed his lips, dropping his gaze. "Touché. Maybe we should end this argument?"

Heero sighed. "I suppose. I _am_ more careful. But at the same time I have a mission. We can't let that girl fall into the hands of someone who will use her for their own gain."

"That I agree with."

"There's a difference between self-destructing and sacrificing oneself for a higher purpose. Or, that's what I was led to believe."

Duo considered this. "Yeah, but you still have to be careful that you're really thinking of that higher purpose, and not yourself, yanno? That's the difference, I guess. I don't know. I don't think about it that much."

"You were willing to die for your cause."

"Yeah. But I'm finding now that dying for a cause is pretty easy. There are other sacrifices that are a lot harder."

"Like?"

"I dunno, sometimes just living. Shut up and let me work here," Duo muttered.

Heero looked away in silence again.

Duo pulled away the poisoned flesh with a wince. The blood was everywhere. "I can't see if I got it all or not. Can you lean back in the tub?" He reached up and grabbed the detachable shower head, drawing it down as Heero reached back and caught the other edge of the tub with his good arm, leaning back as Duo turned the water on and rinsed the blood away, peering hard at the wound to try and look for anything he missed. Maybe that one edge… He noted the area then turned off the water and went in to make another slice. Heero did wince a little then, just under his breath. "I gotta make sure, cuz I'm not doing this again," Duo warned him.

"I know. It's fine."

Duo sighed. "That's the problem with you and me. Quatre and Trowa have home and family, Wufei has his damned ideals. But we didn't have anything."

"You have your work with the Sweepers."

"Yeah, now. But it took me a while to realize that. Besides, coming back to the Sweepers meant coming back to L2 and the Moon. I had to decide I could do that." He glanced at Heero. "I kinda guessed you were the same way. At least, that's how it seemed to me--back then. Maybe I'm wrong to presume."

"I suppose," murmured Heero.

"Do you have…stuff?" Duo pressed.

"Nothing far-reaching," Heero admitted. "But, I'm told that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's one of the reasons I was traveling. I was wandering with no mission or goal. I'm trying to get used to how that feels."

Duo considered this, giving Heero a light push to signal him to lean back again, and again he sloshed the water over the wound, leaning down to check for signs of irritation or infection. "How does it feel?" He asked finally.

"It hurts. Did you get it all?"

Duo smirked as he set the showerhead aside. "Yeah, I think so. But I meant the living without a mission." He gave the towel to Heero to press to the wound while he doused the needle and thread with rubbing alcohol.

"I don't know," Heero replied. "Sometimes that hurts too, but other times it's sort of peaceful. And then…" his voice drifted.

"And then?"

"It'll feel like, I'm on an edge, like I am a part of something, but I can't quite see what it is."

Duo sat back and stared at him. "When did you become so poetic, anyway? Finding God in the mountaintops and now this? I never thought you were that deep, to be honest."

"Just finish up. I'm tired."

Staunching the blood enough to stitch the wound, and then stitching it up as Heero sat in his stoic silence seemed to take forever. Duo worked in silence too, turning Heero's words over in his mind. He hated wrestling with existential questions but it must be doubly-horrible for someone like Heero, who felt he was made for one purpose only.

"Sorry," he said finally. "I know I'm a pain in the ass."

Heero looked at him. "Are you?"

"That's what they tell me," Duo sighed, tying off the thread, then cutting it with the razor. "Well, I'm not going to be invited to join a quilting bee anytime soon, but I think it'll hold ya together."

Heero stood up and checked the wound in the mirror. "Acceptable," he said.

"Good." He stood and threw the bloody towel in the bathtub. "Let's try to be long gone before housekeeping comes." 

"Agreed."

Duo shuffled off towards bed, pausing when he glanced at the other bed. Ahli was huddled under the covers in a stiff, unnatural way. "Hey, you awake?"

"Mm, mm."

"No? Ya sure?"

Heero came out too. "It's okay," he said quietly. "It's fine."

"It's my fault you're hurt."

"No, it's mine. I was careless and let him scratch me."

"But he was chasing me."

"Hey," said Duo. "We chose to bring you with us and protect you, all by ourselves. You didn't make us do it. We want to protect you, and we understand the risks. We'll be okay."

She peeped out. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," said Heero. "No one is forcing us to do this."

_Just paying us a crap-ton of money_. Duo climbed into bed. "That's right. So don't worry about it. And Heero's fine. I fixed him up totally good."

"Okay," she sighed with a slight sniff, and closed her eyes.

Heero flopped down with a groan on the other side of the bed. "You do realize there might have been a second person in that station." He said lowly.

"The one who shot the phone, I know," he sighed. "I never saw anyone."

"Me neither. But we haven't been attacked since."

"What do you think?"

"Unsure."

"Ah, I'm filled with confidence."

Heero didn't answer. Duo glanced over at him, but his eyes were already closed. Duo stole some covers as he curled up. He already knew tomorrow as going to be a long day.

Duo risked his phone at the station, checking in briefly with Lex, who told him that she and her uncle were re-evaluating their network and making sure there weren't any more like Dix, and yes, his car was fine, stop asking. After some internal debate, he texted Quatre asking if he was okay and that he couldn't leave the phone on for very long.

Heero exhaled impatiently while Duo waited for a response. "If you turn it off right before you board it will give our direction away."

"I know I know, just another minute okay?"

His phone beeped, he flipped it open.

_Alive. Safe. Preventers compromised. 5 and 3 on Earth. Do you know NF?_

He texted back. NF?

_Unknown acronym._

Will investigate. P3 involved. 

The time before the next text was a bit longer. _Negative. P3 extinct._

Someone else wants PP then.

_Earth Sky perhaps?_

Capable?

_Unknown. Peacecraft may know._

No guns. Another group @ party makes 3. 

A train going towards the Dark Side station was pulling out. Heero nudged him. "Turn it off. Now."

Gotta go. Will report when possible.

_Roger. Be safe._

Duo flipped off the phone and looked at Heero. "Do you know what NF stands for?"

"No."

"Neither did Quatre, but he thinks it has something to do with this. He wonders if Earth-Sky could be the pacifists we're looking for."

"Earth Sky?" Heero looked thoughtfully at the rails. "I thought they were pretty mainstream."

"He thinks Relena might know."

Heero shrugged. Ahli leaned against Duo. "What's Earth Sky?"

"It's…what's the full title, Heero? I bet you know it."

Heero frowned. "Uh, Earth Sky Organization for Global Peace and Environmental Responsibility."

"What does that mean?" She asked with a slight laugh.

"Ah, no one knows," grumbled Duo.

"They want to protect the Earth from human disruption," said Heero. "I met members here and there in my travels. Most seemed rational enough."

"In your travels," snorted Duo. "You Daniel Boone now?"

Heero shrugged. "Maybe more Don Quixote."

Duo eyed him, wondering what sort of joke that was, when the train slid into the station before them. "Stay close," he warned Ahli as they climbed aboard and found a compartment.

"Is it another long ride?"

"Yeah, I think so."

It was long, but uneventful. Hopefully, if they had been tracked, their pursuers would be put on the wrong scent for a time.

Duo didn't put much stake in mere hope.

The Sun Side Terminal was closest to L4, and therefore, there were a great many rich folks waiting and Magunacs working. At first, some recognized Duo and waved. He touched a finger to his lips before waving back. By the time they had found the shuttle to Europe they wanted, no Maguanac even looked at him. Word had traveled fast that they didn't want attention.

"Switzerland?" Duo asked. "Didn't we want Germany?"

"It's neutral. Let them try to guess whether we're going to Brussels or Munich."

"Ah, another misdirection. I'm liking this."

"You should have thought of it."

"I probably would have, but that's what I'm paying you for."

Heero gave him a wry look and kept walking towards the gate.

Earth bound shuttles had to meet very stringent safety requirements, so Duo knew they were going to get a good ride. The seats were plush and sturdy; there were three to a row; one on one side and two on the other. Heero sat across the aisle from Duo, who let Ahli have the window. She peered out. "I can't believe I'm going to Earth!" she gushed.

"Believe it."

"What's it like?" she asked.

"Well," Duo tried to remember his first impression of the planet. "Space suddenly seems very far away. And it's just so big you can't believe it. And…" he paused a moment, trying to find the words. "The horizon is different than on colonies. And of course there's the sky. It's really pretty."

"Which do you like better?"

Duo felt Heero glance at him. Duo made a face. "They're so different," he admitted. "It's really hard to choose. There are good and bad things about each. You'll just have to decide for yourself."

"I will," she said, and looked back out the window.

Duo napped through the spaceflight, but within hours he could feel that shift of gravity that told him they were falling into near orbit. "This part feels weird," he admitted to Ahli.

The shuttle began to shake, bringing its nose up. The wings outside the window began to glow; the air-conditioners in the cabin began to blast as the temperature rose. Ahli reached out and clutched at Duo's hand.

The atmosphere was like a wall, fighting to keep out invaders, Duo reflected, just as gravity was a tether, holding its residents in place. The Earth did not like to share.

The shuttle shook a few more moments, then there was a tone in the cabin as it began to repressurize for atmospheric travel. The ship tilted, and the window was filled with clouds and blue ocean, a strip of land far in the distance.

"Oh!" cried Ahli.

The shuttle jerked, and suddenly fell awkwardly several thousand feet. Ahli grabbed at Duo again and the other passengers cried out as it leveled.

The cabin door slammed open, and a man stepped out carrying a gun, his face concealed by a scarf.

"No way," said Duo. "How did they get ahead of us?"

"We are everywhere!" bellowed the man, stomping down the aisle, swinging the gun between Duo and Heero. "We will take the weapon, or we will crash this entire shuttle into the ground."

"That is the stupidest threat ever," said Duo, genuinely irritated. "I mean, you're kidding, right? You crash this shuttle you not only lose the weapon but you lose yourself. I mean, if you were one of those pacifists maybe I'd get it. But you--"

"Shut up!" The man leaned over him, pressing the gun against his temple. "You just talked yourself into a bullet in the brain, buddy."

Duo smirked. "And you just turned your back on Heero Yuy."

The idiot didn't even have time to register what Duo had said before he was crumpling unconscious to the floor. Duo dove to liberate the gun as Heero moved up to the cockpit. People were crying and clinging to each other. Duo turned to look at Ahli, who was staring wide eyed. "Stay right here. We've got it!" Duo called. "We work for the Preventers!"

"But so did he," said the flight attendant. "He was our air marshal on this flight."

Duo grimaced. "Well, he was a fake, obviously. I officially apologize on behalf of the--"

"Duo!"

"Just tie him up or something." Duo pushed his way into the cabin. "Please tell me good news. Oh gee." The pilot had been garroted in his seat; Heero had pushed him away to look over the controls. "That jerk."

"He's done something to the autopilot."

"See, that's not good news."

"What can you do?"

Duo made a noise and slid into the pilot's seat, going to access the onboard computer. It was encrypted three times over. "Is this code familiar?"

Heero leaned over his shoulder. "Not immediately. Is it to you?"

"Not really. Let's see what I can do here."

The shuttle shook. "We're heading for North America," said Heero.

"Quickly, yes. I did notice. Can you get the stewardess to prepare the passengers for an emergency landing?"

Heero nodded and turned away. Duo sighed and looked at the headset on the pilot's head, considering. He could try calling for assistance, but then he would have to give a lot of identifying info over the coms.

"Duo."

He leaped up and went to the cabin door; and his heart sank. One of the passengers was backing towards the rear of the shuttle, Ahli in his grip and a gun aimed right for them. "You idiots," he sneered. "You thought we only had one inside man?"

"We had hoped," Duo admitted. "Where do you think you're gonna go?"

Even as he spoke, the proximity detector started blaring in the cockpit. "My ride," said the man, edging backwards.

"You're kidding me."

"He isn't," said Heero. "Options."

Duo felt himself groan inwardly as he shoved the gun into Heero's hand. "One of us has to try and get this shuttle down."

"If anyone can do it you can."

"You won't," said the man. "You're all going to die."

The cabin erupted as the passengers broke into panic. Duo turned and dove for the pilot seat, deciding to let Heero deal with the kidnapper.

He ignored the controls for the moment and dropped to his knees, crawling underneath and pulling access panels down, searching for the connections to the on-board computer. A large flat wire looked promising and he gave it a yank.

The shuttle lurched. Duo grimaced and got up on his knees to check the computer. It was flashing oddly. He peered under again and tried to trace the wires more carefully this time before seizing a handful and pulling them loose.

The shuttle lurched again, this time enough to roll Duo over. He crawled up to his knees, then the seat, seizing the stick and pulling up on it, hard. He cursed. He had so hoped he could land this thing manually.

It tilted slowly upwards. He leaned back, putting a foot on the dash to brace himself, muttering prayers he hadn't thought of in years, feeling the shuttle reluctantly struggling to obey the manual commands.

If he had the time, he could reroute the computer controls, but rolling hills were flying up towards him at an alarming rate. There was a town off to his left; but the area in front of him seemed pretty even. He hit the emergency landing gear control, and there was a shuddering bang. This was never gonna work. He was never going to get the nose high enough.

There was a strong hand on his shoulder. "The angle's wrong."

"Heero!" He cried, sliding to the edge of the seat.. "Pull!"

He seized the controls and pulled. The shuttle groaned. Duo slid out of the way, letting Heero take it. He put his own foot on the dash as Duo had done, and pulled back, tight lipped. The nose began to rise, if unsteadily.

Duo dodged under the seat, desperately searching for the override.

"You don't want to be there when we hit."

"Don't say hit. Say land."

"Whatever. Ahli, put on that harness. Duo, we need to dump the engines."

Duo stuck his head up for a moment. "Oh. Oh, right!" He scrambled around until he saw the large red lever beneath the dash. He pulled on it and the whole thing shook and went suddenly quiet. He could hear the cries and groans of the passengers. On the plus side, this kicked some sort of override in, and Heero seemed to gain some control, pulling the nose higher and getting some drag. Somewhere far away he heard an explosion.

"Duo?"

"Just a sec! Just a sec!"

"We don't have a sec. Brace yourself." Heero shoved a foot on his shoulder, pressing him down against the fuselage.

"Hey!"

Heero groaned, the shuttle shuddered.

There was a jolt as they hit the uneven ground. A big one. Duo slammed his head against the cold metal and everything went a bit fuzzy for a few long moments. When his brain cleared, the shuttle was still.

"Duo?" Ahli asked. "Heero?"

Duo shoved Heero's foot off his shoulder and slid out, shaking like a leaf. "Hey, that was pretty good!" he enthused. "Did you live, Heero?"

Heero was just sort of sitting there. "Yeah," he said finally.

Duo glanced at him but decided to take him at his word for the moment and went to Ahli. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

"Of course I am! What happened in there?"

"Everyone got real mad that we were gonna crash," she said. "They jumped on the bad man and beat him up."

Duo laughed. "So Heero didn't have to do anything?"

"He climbed over the seats and got me," she said warmly. "Is he okay?"

"I…think so," Duo admitted. "Heero, status?"

"Pissed," he said, pushing himself out of the seat with a wince and a groan, and heading for the cabin. "You're bleeding," he told Duo, gesturing towards his own temple.

Oh yeah, there was something running down his face, wasn't there? Duo touched the wound and checked his fingers, sucking his teeth. "Whoops. It looks worse than it feels." He went to follow Heero. "Come on."

The passengers were already evacuating. Heero seized one of the men and dragged him to one of the doors, throwing him out before leaping after him. Duo turned to grab their bag of stuff and help Ahli down.

They were in a grassy field. A mile or two behind them the engines had ignited a forest, in the distance sirens were screaming. Heero was dragging his victim several yards away. It was the first one, the Preventer. He was staring wide eyed at Heero, who knelt beside him. "Who are you working for?" he asked.

"You…you truly are…" breathed the man. "My superiors were so right about you."

"Who?"

"We follow in the steps of the Bartons. We believe it is our destiny to rule the colonies. We need you and her to be our weapon. At least one of you. That was the mistake of the last coup. They didn't have you."

"Who is we?" Heero demanded.

"We have to hurry," Duo muttered. The emergency vehicles were in sight. If they didn't escape, and there were Preventers or others who were a part of this thing in the ranks they could be trapped.

"The Colony Supremacy Project."

Heero cursed.

"We don't need any more of those!" snarled Duo. "So what, you have Preventers and Sweepers on your side?"

"A few who share our ideals."

"More importantly, who else is after us?" Heero asked.

"I don't know who they are," chuckled the man. "Japanese, most of them. L1."

Heero made a noise and punched him; he fell unconscious as Heero stood up. "Let's go."

"Where?"

"Our goal hasn't changed. Munich."

"We're on the wrong continent, Pal."

"We're on the right planet," he said without looking back.

"Oh well, yeah!" Duo groaned, as he and Ahli followed. "Why didn't I think of that? Glass always half full, huh, Heero?"

He didn't answer. Duo wasn't at all surprised.


	9. The Earth

Duo wasn't sure he could say that he knew Heero Yuy really well. They had fought together in the war, but not that often. Afterwards, they did team up to clean up some mobile suit factories and help in the rebuilding after the war. It was in that time Duo had first tried out the word "friend," earning himself a strange look, but no protest.

Not that he expected a reaction one way or the other.

They had been the two with the most problems adjusting to civilian life, Heero due to his conditioning and Duo due to all sorts of issues he tried for the longest time to ignore and was still dealing with to a certain extent. But their attempt to help each other (one of Quatre's brilliant ideas) didn't go as intended, and they decided to part ways for a while, until the Preventers brought them back together.

But even so, Duo liked to think he had learned some things about his fellow pilot.

The one thing he had learned was getting to know Heero was more just a matter of time than of prodding and prying. The guy was genuine in a way Duo had never encountered before and though he didn't speak or emote much, he really wasn't hiding anything. It was all there, just turned way down, and it was just a matter of learning how to read the subtle signs.

And right now, all the subtle signs were telling Duo that he was walking with one extremely pissed perfect soldier. He was certainly injured from the crash but Duo's inquiries got him a growl, and Ahli's few questions got no response. He walked stiffly and his expression was tight.

They made it to a small town by nightfall; Duo tucked his braid in his jacket and undid Ahli's ponytail as they took in the lay of the land. They weren't very far from the crash site, and it was certain that the passengers had described their rescuers to the authorities, and those authorities would be wanting to speak to them. After that it would take nothing for them to be tracked by their pursuers. Better to remain out of sight. "She should change maybe," Duo suggested.

Heero didn't answer.

Ahli looked at Duo, who leaned close as they walked. "He's just mad at the bad guys," he whispered. "Don't take it personal-like."

"Okay."

Rain was falling when they found a fast-food place. "Take her," said Duo. "We'll separate. If they're looking for us they're looking for two guys and a little girl."

Heero nodded and took Ahli's hand with no protest. Duo waited across the street till he saw them go take a seat, then went in himself, sitting not too far away with his own sandwich.

He wasn't half done when the cop strolled in.

Had someone called, or was he just patrolling around? He stopped to look at Duo, who looked up at him with a grin. "Hey. Still raining?"

"Yeah," said the cop, not quite knowing what to do with Duo's lack of evasion. He turned his attention to Heero and Ahli, who were looking over the paper placemat together.

"Hi there," said the cop as Ahli looked up. "Where are you from?"

Duo flinched but Ahli smiled. "Chicago," she replied.

"Really? What are you doing way out here?"

"I'm visiting my uncle," she replied, indicating Heero with a smile.

"He's sorta young to be your uncle."

"I know."

"Ten year difference," Heero said quietly. Ah, he was so stiff. Loosen up, man!

"I see. What's your name, sweetie?"

"Ahli."

"Ahli what?"

Duo froze.

"Lowe," she replied instantly.

Duo exhaled.

"You ever been to space, Ahli Lowe?"

She shook her head. "No. And I don't think I want to. It's sorta scary."

Heero smiled and reached over to pet her hand. "One day," he assured her gently.

It was so genuine, so kind. The sandwich nearly slipped from Duo's fingers and he had to seize his cola before it overturned.

The cop blinked. "You have a good night there, Ahli." He nodded at Heero and walked away, vanishing into the rainy night.

~

"I cannot believe you two!"

"What?" Ahli asked. They had found an abandoned barn a few miles outside the town and curled up in the loft to rest a while and let the rain let up before continuing on. Heero just looked at him.

"You two playing uncle and niece all cute like that! You convinced that cop. Good job, kiddo. Where'd you get the last name?"

"Heero gave it to me."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And he said I should say he's my uncle and I was from Chicago and had never been in space. That was right, wasn't it?"

"It was perfect. Heero, you never cease to amaze me."

"I didn't want to fight him," Heero replied evenly.

"Well of course not. If the cops catch us, we'll just have to cooperate, no matter what sort of a mess it'll put us in. It isn't their fault. They're not involved in any of this. C'mon, kiddo, lean on me and get some rest for a few hours."

"Okay." She curled up against him and was asleep within minutes.

"You can come closer and join us," Duo offered Heero.

"I'm fine."

Duo paused a moment, then decided he needed to speak the lingo. "Are you injured? You need to tell me, because if you're not functioning within standard parameters you'll be a liability."

To Duo's surprise, Heero found this funny, huffing that quiet laugh of his. "Some soft tissue injury, I think. Bruising. I don't think any bones are broken. I won't slow us down."

"You're really upset, aren't you?"

He turned dark eyes upon Duo. "There were more than fifty people on board that shuttle," he replied. "They put all those lives at risk."

"Yeah. So, we have some sort of peace group, and now this Colony Supremacy Group, and then this other one. The NF Quatre mentioned, maybe. What do you think they want from her?"

"Same as the other one. To use her, I suppose."

"Which one do you think Kiki was a part of?"

Heero shrugged, then looked at him. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Your head."

"Oh. Yeah, it seems to be okay." He touched the tenuously closed gash right above his hairline. "The cop didn't notice it, fortunately. What happened to the ship that was supposed to be intercepting the shuttle?"

"It flew off when it was obvious the plan had failed."

"So they know our general location, and where we were headed."

"It would seem so."

"What's the plan? And don't say go to Munich, I know that part."

"We're going to head for New York. It will be easy enough to get transportation from there to Europe, and there may be someplace we can stop and gather some information."

"Really?"

Heero nodded, but didn't elaborate. Duo tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

~

Duo was awakened by a hand over his mouth. He startled at the initial sensation then relaxed, giving a light nod to signal he understood. Heero released him instantly and motioned towards the front of the barn, where the bright glow of car headlights were streaming in, illuminating the ground floor.

Duo looked at Ahli. She was awake and had crawled to the corner, eyes wide, but not looking extremely worried. Well, they had kept her safe so far, she was probably beginning to believe they would continue to do so.

Heero got low and crept silently to the edge to peer down. Duo remained still, not trusting his clunky boots on the old dry wood. There were voices muttering below. A long moment later he backed up, turning and coming back to Duo, signaling there were maybe seven with guns.

"Cops?" Duo mouthed the question.

Heero shook his head.

There was a pop and a whistle, and a smoke grenade came flying through the loft entrance, only to land a few feet away and begin sputtering. "Options?" Duo whispered.

Heero half-shrugged. "Fight," he replied, and got to his feet. Duo leaped up too then, seizing Ahli. Sickly smelling smoke began to curl around them. She coughed.

A shotgun blast shattered the floor not far from where they were. "Get down here!" a voice roared.

Heero stepped towards the loft edge. "Careful, Man," said Duo.

Heero glanced at him. "Remember, you're expendable."

"What?" Duo's eyes went huge and he actually clenched his fists as he stepped towards Heero. "What did you say?" And here he thought--

"To them," said Heero, looking irritated. "They want me and Ahli. Not you. You're collateral damage to them. They'll shoot you before they shoot either of us."

He felt like an ass. "Yeah, you're right. I'll be careful."

Heero nodded, and leaped down.

Duo seized Ahli and pulled her towards the back ladder.

Heero got in several good hits, but even as Duo descended he saw one of the guys raise something that both was and wasn't a gun; he didn't have time to shout before the prongs shot forward and hit him in the side; there was a jolt Duo could feel from where he was, and Heero fell smoking to the ground.

"That's just great!" Duo snarled as he leaped down, only to have half a dozen guns fixed on him.

"Don't move, Princess," snarled one of the guys. "And same to the little girl."

"Oh, har har."

"Put your hands on your head."

Duo looked them over as he obeyed. Mercenary thugs. "So who's your boss?"

"Like we'd tell you."

"You mean like you know," he said as he was shoved towards the wall.

"Shut up. And you, stop wiggling!" Ahli squeaked a protest as they used some rag to tie her wrists behind her back.

"It's okay, Ahli," said Duo confidently. "You know what we told you."

Heero was pushing himself up a bit dazedly, his hair sticking up worse than ever. Duo couldn't believe he was moving at all. Two guys grabbed him and shoved him face first into the wall, two more yanked Duo around and did the same to him. They grabbed his arms and he heard a clatter, he twisted his head a bit to catch a glimpse of them slapping handcuffs on Heero before they gave Duo another shove. A moment later he felt the familiar click of the handcuffs on his own wrists.

Handcuffs. They had put them both in ordinary handcuffs.

Morons.

"Your bosses didn't tell you much about this job, did they?" he asked with a smirk as they turned him around and stuck a gun in his face. He tilted his head back, way back, letting his braid brush his fingertips. "How long does that smoke bomb last? I'm starting to smell it down here."

"Shut up."

They were yanking Ahli towards one of the cars. She looked back at Duo, who gave her what he hoped was an encouraging wink. He glanced at Heero, his teeth were clenched.

Three of the guys got in with Ahli and the car rumbled down the dirt driveway, leaving four behind. "So here's how it's gonna go down," said the guy who must be the leader, a scarred man with tattoos around his neck. Another guy opened a small box for the last two, who pulled out two large syringes filled with…something. "You're both gonna take a little nap. And when you wake up," he pointed to Heero. "You're gonna be in our trunk. And when you wake up," he pointed at Duo. "You're gonna be right here. Maybe someone will find you before long, huh? Guys, stick 'em."

Those were some big needles. They each took a step forward.

Heero was in motion, then, the handcuffs still on his wrists but broken apart; he used them to add injury to the strike across the goon's face; he caught his wrist and twisted it, shoving the needle right into his belly before knocking him down. While the other three gaped Duo dropped his cuffs and the pick he had slipped from his braid before launching himself at the other one with the needle, seizing him then twisting around to flip him over. He stomped on the syringe, then kicked the guy in the face.

Heero had seized the leader. He used the cuffs to strike again, then gave his arm a twist that ended with a horrible pop. He screamed and sank down.

The last guy made a break for the car. Duo snatched up the nearest gun and fired; he went sprawling in the dirt and was still.

"Who hired you!" Heero demanded as Duo went for the lock pick and their bag.

"I dunno! Some chick! She called me telling us where to go, and where we should meet her with the goods."

"Where?"

"I dunno, it's in the GPS. Somewhere on the East Coast."

"Where's the phone she calls you on?"

"My…my pocket."

Heero fished it out then tossed the guy aside. "Let's go. We have to catch up with her."

Duo grabbed up guns as he went. "Right."

"You drive."

"Why do I always drive?"

Heero stopped to look at him as they reached the car. "You're more skilled at it than I am," he said simply, then climbed in.

Duo smirked a bit then followed, tossing the guns to Heero and adjusting the seat before roaring off. "Oh, you might want this, too." He passed over the lock pick.

Heero took it but first tapped the GPS. "They have the other car on here."

"Point me in the right direction."

"Turn left."

Duo grinned and gunned it out onto the road. Heero tossed the handcuffs on the floor of the car, then checked the clip on one of the guns. "Right here."

Tires squealed as he hit the main road and he felt he could accelerate. "Is that them?" he pointed at a pair of taillights far in the distance.

"Yeah." Heero rolled down the window. "Get me right on their tail."

"No, wait. We don't need to do that, I think. You sure that's them?"

"Definitely."

Duo grinned, and started flashing his high beams as he came up on their bumper. A moment later, the car pulled over, and Duo pulled in behind them. "Ta-da! Gimmie one of those guns."

Heero obliged, and Duo lowered the window just enough to motion for someone to come back to them. The driver got out.

"Oh, too easy."

"What is it?" the guy asked, "What's the hold--"

He got no further as Duo shoved the door open and fired. He went stumbling back out across the road.

The other two guys leaped out with guns. Duo and Heero both dove down, pushing the car doors open wide to provide a shield as they traded gunfire.

"Duo!" he heard Ahli cry. "Heero!"

"Stay down, Kiddo!" Duo called. Bullets tonked on the door. When there was a lull he saw Heero drop and crawl out into the darkness. "Oh for the love of…"

"You bastards!" One of the guys was yelling. I'm gonna kill you for---whaaap!" or, some word like that as he was yanked from view. The other guy froze a moment, then howled and started shooting everywhere. Easy enough to take aim. Duo fired, the guy flailed and crumpled onto the roadside.

Ahli was already running for Duo. "It's me! Don't shoot!" she called.

"I don't shoot people shorter than I am," Duo told her. He caught Heero glancing at him as he appeared in the headlights. "Don't say it, Yuy!"

"I said nothing. Let's take this front car. Fewer bullet holes."

"Right. Who untied you?" Duo asked, guiding her into the back seat of the car.

"I did it myself."

"Good job. That's what Heero and I did, too."

She smiled. "I knew you would."

He grinned. Heero grabbed the bag and as many guns as he could, then they climbed in and took off. "I'm sure they're tracking this car by GPS," said Duo. "We need to disconnect the transmission."

Heero nodded, going to work on that as they headed East. "I think I can do it without taking out the actual system. It would be nice. I'm not that familiar with this region."

"I know. But as long as we keep on the roads going East we should be okay."

Heero nodded, pulling wires. "We're going to want to leave the designated route soon. There's a northbound highway ahead. Let's take that a while."

"Sounds good."

"I think I got it," said Heero.

The phone in his pocket rang.

Duo smirked as Heero fished it out slowly and flipped it open, hitting the speakerphone function.

"Are you there?" snapped a female voice.

"Yeah," said Duo a bit roughly.

"Your GPS is down, and the other car isn't moving. Is there a problem?"

Duo looked at Heero, who shrugged. Duo grinned. "The only problem is that you wasted precious time and money hiring incompetent morons. Those fuckers couldn't catch a cold."

There was a long silence on the other end. "Duo?"

"Kiki, is that you?"

The string of Japanese curses went on a good minute, at least twice Heero's eyes went huge and once he snorted a laugh. Duo understood more than half, and he wasn't sure his ears weren't turning red under the deluge of expletives. "You bastard!" she finished finally.

"Don't take this out on me. You're the one who hired goons who had no idea who they were up against. Really, I kinda feel sorry for them. The ones who are still alive, I mean."

"Duo, it isn't too late," her voice took on a pleading tone. "We don't want to hurt the girl."

"Just use her as a weapon for your own advancement."

"No, it's not like that. We aren't like those others. I assure you, we want what's best for her and Heero Yuy."

"You tried to kill Heero Yuy."

"That was…I was wrong. I was angry. The truth is we just want to help humanity."

"You can't think we're buying this."

"You want what's best for us?" Heero asked. "You leave us the hell alone."

"We can't!"

"What is your organization?" Heero asked.

"You'll know soon enough, when you join us. Don't make us do this the hard way."

"Heh. I've seen your definition of hard, Lady," laughed Duo. "We're not impressed."

She cursed again, and hung up. Heero smirked and threw the phone out the window. Duo couldn't help but burst into laughter.


	10. Pax Terra

After almost ten hours of solid driving, Duo punched Heero in the arm and made him switch places. He then collapsed uncomfortably into the passenger seat and immediately lost consciousness.

He was punched in turn when the sun was lowering on the horizon behind them and the car was creeping slowly down a quiet lane between some of the largest houses Duo had ever seen.

Finally, Heero pulled off into a cut in the well-trimmed wood which didn't look at all like a driveway, parking behind a thicket. "Let's go. We're walking the rest of the way."

"To Munich?" Duo asked, shouldering the bag and taking Ahli's hand.

"Maybe," said Heero, turning back towards the road.

The sun slowly sank down as they walked; Heero eventually took Ahli onto his back again. They walked under tall oak trees and from time to time stepped out of the way of a vehicle, but no one seemed to pay them any mind.

Heero cut them across country, Duo sighed audibly but Heero didn't reveal their destination.

It was dark when they reached the brick wall. Heero set down Ahli then took a running leap at it, running up far enough to catch the edge and hauling himself to the top. He reached down, and Duo boosted Ahli up. He swung her over and Duo heard her squeak as he deposited her on the other side. He then reached for Duo.

"I'm capable."

"It'll be faster," said Heero.

Duo grumbled but took the run and jump, catching Heero's hand and letting himself be hauled up. He jumped down the other side with hardly a pause. Heero jumped after him, then motioned for them to follow him.

In the middle of a beautiful park stood a gorgeous mansion. Duo stared as they approached. "What is this place?"

"Pax Terra," said Heero. "It's Relena's American estate."

Duo had to stop and stare. "Relena's estate?"

"Yes."

"Is this where we've been aiming for since we landed?"

"Yes."

"Do you think she's home?"

Heero shook his head. "Unlikely."

"Then how are we getting in?"

Heero didn't answer, just headed for the front door.

Duo had no intention of wasting time; he headed for the window around the side to check how easily it could be broken into. He ran his fingers along the frame. "Definitely an alarm," he murmured. "Maybe I can try to pop out the glass…"

The curtains swished open from within, Duo leaped back to face Heero, who gave him an irritated glare and pointed towards the front door. Duo stared a moment, then went to run around the house.

Ahli was on the porch. "Duo!" she called when she saw him. "Come see!"

He entered an opulent foyer. The stairs were at the very back of the long wide hall, doors broke off on either side. "It's so big!" cried Ahli, throwing her arms wide.

Heero came out of a side door. Duo looked between him and the front door. "How did you get in?"

"I know where the spare key is."

"The spare key?"

Heero nodded.

"How do you know that?"

Heero blinked at him a bit strangely. "Relena told me where it was. I've met her here before…" he paused, as if he wasn't sure he wanted to continue.

Duo stared. "Wait, what? Met her here. As in met? Her here?"

Heero looked at him as if he was insane. "That's just what I said."

"Yeah, but the way you said it...I didn't know you had been…meeting her."

"Not recently," he said as he headed for the stairs.

"I guess not. Hasn't she been seen out with that L4 rep? Quatre's friend?"

"Astor. I've heard things, but I don't keep up."

"Maybe you should."

"We can rest here and probably touch base from her office."

"Yeah…"

"Hello?" a voice called from upstairs. A svelte figure descended, but even if she had said nothing Duo would have known it wasn't Relena Darlian. Relena would never come down the stairs in a terry wrap and bare feet, her hair up in a towel. "I was in the shower and didn't hear the door. Why!" She stopped halfway and peered down. "If it isn't Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell!"

"Dorothy Catalonia," greeted Heero.

"And someone I haven't met!" she enthused, hopping the rest of the way down the stairs. "Aren't you a cute thing? What's your name?"

"Ahli."

"Well, Miss Ahli, how did you come to be in the company of two handsome gundam pilots?"

"Gundam pilots?" Ahli asked. "I don't know what those are. Duo and Heero are protecting me."

"Are they now? How sweet."

"What are you doing here?" Duo asked.

"Relena lets me use Pax Terra when I'm in town. She's so generous that way. Did you come here looking for her, Heero?"

"Not really," Heero admitted. "We just needed a place to crash."

"Oh I see. Well, I was having a meal delivered in an hour. I'll just call and quadruple the order."

"There's no need," said Heero.

"Nonsense. Let me get dressed. Come up and choose a room, and we'll all get washed up and comfortable." She turned and ran up the stairs.

"She seems nice," said Ahli.

Duo gave Heero a look as they slowly followed her up the stairs.

~

They warned Ahli not to say too much before they each took an adjacent room and cleaned up a bit before dinner. It was brought in a limousine by two men in white, who set out the entire table with silver ware and linens before Dorothy tipped them well enough to make one clear his throat and the other blink back tears and sent them on their way.

It was some sort of white meat in a mushroom sauce which Duo decided was possibly better than sex, and spiced mashed potatoes he just wanted to lick right off the plate. He tried to control his look of delight, but Ahli certainly couldn't and bounced in her seat as she "mmm"ed, and Heero told Dorothy between bites to compliment the chef.

"What sort of meat is it?" Ahli asked.

"Pheasant. Isn't it divine?" asked Dorothy. She was in a stunning emerald dress which sparkled as she moved. "And here I thought I would be eating alone tonight. Relena isn't due back for another day or two."

"Where is she?" Heero asked with casual interest.

Dorothy smiled. "She's up North for a conference with Earth Sky."

Duo couldn't help but look at Heero, who ignored him and looked at Dorothy. "Earth Sky?"

"Yes, you know. The Organization for Global Peace and Environmental Responsibility?"

"I do know. What do you know about them?"

"Hm…" she put on an attitude of looking thoughtful but her smile never faded. "I know they are quite impassioned about their beliefs. I like a great deal of what they do for the planet. I donate just loads of money to them every year. Good for deductions, you know."

"Is everything they do above board?" Heero asked.

She leaned back. "If I asked the same about the Preventers what would you say?"

"I'd say I don't know, because I don't, but we weren't talking about the Preventers."

"They aren't the Perfect Peace People, if that's what you're thinking."

"Yeah, we were assured of that fact," Duo replied. "But they are for perfect peace, right?"

"More like global peace."

"They don't care what happens upside?"

"They are looking to protect Earth's natural beauty and resources, and war is terrible for the environment. How many trees did you two destroy in your little terrorist campaign?" She looked past them at Ahli. "Have you ever seen a mobile suit, sweetie?"

"Only models and pictures," she replied. "I was told they got rid of them all."

"So you know what they are."

"Of course."

"A gundam is a kind of mobile suit. Bigger, deadlier, and prettier, in some people's opinion. Killing machines. Can take out hundreds of mobile suits in a few minutes. Once upon a time, these two," she waved her hand between Duo and Heero, "Were gundam pilots. They waged a war of terror against the Earth in their younger days."

"Really?" Ahli asked, interested but not appalled. "Why?"

"Because. No one else could do it. The war they sparked was so horrible that Earth and Space vowed never to fight again. Isn't that beautiful?"

"I guess."

"Of course, there are some people who are still scared of the gundam pilots, who think they could wage war again. Especially those who were created to fight."

"They do fight good," said Ahli. "But I don't think they want to wage war. Do you, Duo?"

"Not me, Kid," he said with a smile that didn't feel very genuine. "No one wants to wage war."

Ahli looked at Heero, who shook his head as he picked up his wine glass. Duo knew nothing about wine but he knew what they were drinking was something extraordinary. "I'm through with war," he said. "But Dorothy is implying that perhaps Earth Sky fears the gundam pilots."

"Or certain ones," said Dorothy.

Heero nodded. Duo sighed. All those words to say something so simple.

~

After dinner was a desert of chocolate cheesecake so decadent Duo wondered aloud if it was legal. He went upstairs knowing he wasn't going to get a meal like that for a long time to come.

On their way up, Dorothy grabbed up Ahli and offered her a bubble bath.

"What's that?"

"It's a bath you take in bubbles, silly!" Dorothy laughed. "Come with me. Just because you're traveling with two men doesn't mean you have to lose your feminine sensibilities!"

"We trust her?" Duo asked.

"We'll keep an ear open," Heero had replied.

"You think Earth Sky is involved."

"I believe that's what she was telling us. I'll stay. The office is at the end of the hall, that way. It should be relatively secure, but check for bugs."

"Right."

The office was huge, lined with books, with a huge window overlooking the park, a beautiful view during the day, Duo had no doubt. He sat down at the desk and pulled the phone towards him. It took moments to make sure there were no bugs, and he dialed Quatre's private number.

It was a long time before there was a click. "Mmmm?"

"Q, it's Duo."

"Duo!" Quatre was instantly awake. "Where are you?"

"Somewhere safe for the moment."

"There was a shuttle crash on Earth. They said it was a hijack attempt. They say that two men landed the shuttle then vanished with a little girl."

"Great. Every news channel, I assume."

"Yes. Whoever is after you knows exactly where you are and what you have."

"And since they know where the shuttle was originally headed, they know where we're headed too."

"Duo, this is really bad."

"Where is Trowa? You said he was downside. We could use his help."

"In Europe. He can meet you once you cross the Atlantic."

"We don't even know how we're going to get across yet."

"Hold on." There was silence for a few long moments, then the clacking of a computer. "If you're anywhere near New York, there's a hyper-speed ferry that crosses to Southampton and then on to Le Havre. Where are you going?"

"We haven't made the final decision yet." It wasn't that he didn't trust Quatre. It was that just because he wasn't bugged on this end didn't mean there wasn't someone listening. "But if Trowa could meet us there in France with some sort of transportation, that would be real helpful."

"I can arrange that."

"Have the Preventers been secured yet?"

"Somewhat. We're still not quite sure how many turned on us. This was just a disaster on so many levels."

"Yeah, I hear ya."

"As far as I know the Earthside headquarters is secure, if you need help from them."

"We don't need to draw any more attention to ourselves. Have Trowa meet us there in Le Havre."

"When will you arrive?"

"Dunno. Just tell him that's where we'll be showing up."

"Okay, I understand. Be careful, Duo." There was a long pause. "Is she like Heero?" he asked finally.

"Yes and no," said Duo. "She's a nice kid, like Heero coulda been, maybe. We're not going to let her end up like…like that."

"Of course not."

"Quatre, do you talk to Dorothy Catalonia at all?"

"Why?"

"We ran into her. How trustworthy is she?"

There was a hesitation on the other end. "She won't deliberately betray you," he replied finally. "I trust her that far. But she loves stirring the pot. She doesn't want anything to get too boring."

"That's what I thought. Okay, Q. Hopefully I'll see ya soon. I hope I'm gonna get a bonus for this."

Quatre laughed. "I'll see what I can do. Please be careful, Duo. Tell Heero to be careful, too."

"Ugh. Like telling the moon to be more like Earth."

"Try."

"I will. See ya, Q." He rubbed his face for a long moment after he hung up, then got up. Lex would just have to take care of the Sweepers herself for the moment. There was nothing contacting her would gain. He got up and headed out to find out if maybe he could get a bubble bath of his own.

~

The thunderstorm crashed through in the early morning hours. It half-woke Duo in the night, but it wasn't until the door bashed open that he sat up, wondering dazedly where his gun was before he realized it was Ahli, leaping for his bed. "Duo!"

"Ah, hey. You okay?"

"What is it, Duo?" She threw herself across his legs and buried her face in the blankets.

"It's a thunderstorm. It's something that happens on Earth."

"A storm? I don't understand."

"The rain clouds get so big they build up energy floating around and bumping each other, so they have to start releasing energy, and they do it with big bolts of electricity…or something like that," he said. "The thunder is the sound of the lightning bolts. They move so fast they're over before you hear the crash."

There was another; it lit the room and the subsequent clap of thunder shook the house. Duo flinched, not from the storm itself but the memories such a large crash stirred deep within him.

"Are you scared too?"

"No, not really. But it is loud. We're pretty much safe as long as we're inside."

"Can I stay here with you?"

"Of course you can." He looked up, "Scared too, Heero?"

There was a dark silhouette in the doorway. "Of course not. I heard voices. Is she okay?"

"She's scared of the storm." The next crash was so close the thunder was almost simultaneous with the lightning, Heero's features were lit sharply in the instant before the house shook with the ear-splitting crash. Duo couldn't help it, he ducked his head as for a brief moment he was in the midst of battle. Then it was gone and he straightened up. 

Heero came and sat on the end of the bed. "Looks like you're scared too."

"Not scared," Duo muttered. "It's just loud. I forgot what these things could be like. Pardon me for my lack of stoicism."

"I didn't fault you. I had to get used to them too."

"Stay with us too, Heero."

Duo snorted. "Oh yeah, all of us in one bed would be so comfy! No, this is not the prairie. Heero can go sleep in his own bed."

"The prairie?" Heero asked.

"You know like the frontiers people all living in one bed?"

"Where did you pick up that gem of information?"

"I dunno. A book somewhere I think? Maybe a movie…I don't know."

"A reliable source, then."

"Oh shut up. And what are you laughing at?"

Ahli was giggling, despite the storm. "You're funny." She squeaked at the next flash, ducking down and covering her ears as the thunder crashed around them.

Heero reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. Duo shook his head. "When did you get so nice, Heero?"

Heero didn't answer that, just gave Ahli a comforting pat then stood up. "I'm getting some sleep. I suggest you do the same. We have a long walk ahead of us."

"Right," Duo sighed. "I'll be right here if you need me, Ahli."

"Okay. Goodnight Heero."

"Goodnight."

Duo shook his head and closed his eyes.

~

"You aren't walking anywhere."

Heero looked at Dorothy over the mug of what had to be the greatest coffee Duo had ever tasted. How did she do these things? The sun was only now cresting the horizon of a bright breezy day and filtering into the massive kitchen where Heero and Duo sipped coffee and Ahli sleepily poked some cereal. Heero had drawn the line and refused to allow Dorothy to order them a catered breakfast. "Excuse me?"

She stood by the coffee maker in an outrageously fluffy bathrobe. "I will drive you wherever you need to go in my limo. Please let me do that for you. Consider it my contribution to the cause."

Duo looked at Heero, who considered a moment then looked back at Duo. "Your choice," he offered.

"Huh? Oh. Well, Quatre seemed to think you'd do all right by us, so I guess we can accept."

Heero didn't show a reaction one way or the other, just reached for the cereal and pitcher of milk in silence.

"Quatre's a sweetie," said Dorothy. "He's so gracious, considering we were practically on opposite sides in the war."

"Practically?" snorted Duo. "You stabbed him."

"Fair and square," she replied.

Heero found this really funny, he nearly choked on his coffee.

"Who's Quatre?" Ahli asked. "And did you really stab him?"

Dorothy smiled. "That was a long time ago, and we've all learned a lot since then."

"Remember how I talked about the nicest guy I knew?" Duo asked. "That's Quatre."

"Oh."

"I missed that talk," said Heero.

"You were buying rabbit food, I think."

"Ah."

"Rabbit food?" Dorothy asked.

"High-energy protein mix," said Heero, throwing Duo a look.

"Heero's a bunny," Ahli told Dorothy. "And the second nicest guy Duo knows."

Dorothy laughed so hard then she had to sink down into a kitchen chair. "Ahli darling, you are precious! Shall I get you ready for your trip? So where am I taking you?"

"The hyper-speed ferry," said Heero.

"Ah! A boat ride! Well, we don't have much time, do we, sweetheart? Come along." She seized Ahli's hand and the two ran out.

"I'm not really that nice," Heero said after a long silence during which the two men ate their cereal.

"Really?" Duo asked. "My mistake then. You fake it well."

Heero huffed another laugh and sipped his coffee.


	11. The Gale Runner

Dorothy had dressed Ahli for the occasion, in a darling little green and white sailor dress, her hair up in a large green bow. "There," she said as she led her out to the car. "All ready for a boat ride."

"Highly impractical," said Heero as Duo rolled his eyes.

"Who wants to wear overalls all the time?" Dorothy cried. She herself was in a jaunty nautical blue and white dress with a matching sailor cap.

"Who has a wardrobe large enough for every contingency?" Duo asked in reply. "And where did you get a dress in her size?"

Dorothy waved away his questions like she was shooing a bug. "A lady is always prepared. And Relena had all manner of dresses from when she was a girl."

Heero looked back at Ahli, and Duo wondered if he was picturing Relena in that dress. Ahli just giggled and climbed into the bright gold electro-plated limousine. "This is obscene," snapped Duo as he followed. "Is that like, a full bar?"

"Of course. There's chocolate in there, if you would like some, Darling. What do you think of it, Heero?"

"Not pink," he replied with a shrug.

She burst into laughter as they pulled out.

It was still a few hours to the port; Dorothy had already checked the schedule and had them reserved on the hyper-ferry known as the "Gale Runner". It was leaving around noon, and would arrive just after daybreak in Le Havre. It was one of a fleet of the fastest boats in the world.

"You just don't appreciate the finer things in life," Dorothy told Duo as he kept finding more and more amazing features as they rode along.

"I appreciate them, when they're tasteful and useful. When are you going to need two movie screens?"

"One for each direction, so the people on one side don't have to crane their necks."

"And this seat is vibrating."

"It's a massager. It warms too. I adore it, I use it all the time. Heero likes it."

"He didn't say that."

"He doesn't have to. Besides, he's going to have to get used to the good life, isn't he, if he has the key to the soon-to-be Minister's hideaway?"

Heero cast a dark glare in her direction. "It was practical."

"I would call it romantic."

Duo made a face. It wasn't that he didn't like Relena. He just wasn't sure she was the right sort of girl to deal with Heero Yuy.

What sort of girl _could_ deal with Heero Yuy? He shrugged in answer to his own question and glared out the window.

Heero didn't answer Dorothy, but she wasn't discouraged, sliding closer to him and looping an arm around his. "You know, I saw Sylvia Noventa just a few days ago. She says you came to see her. You know, if I didn't know better I'd say she finds you quite interesting. She always has such nice things to say about you."

"I can't see why," he said quietly.

"Well, because. Little girls forgive so easily."

"She's kind. But she's not a little girl."

"Well, of course not. We've all grown up, and as I said, learned so much since then."

"Since when?" Ahli asked.

"Since the war, Darling."

Duo felt himself getting pissed. He was starting to grow weary of Dorothy bringing up memories they had both rather leave dealt with and buried. "Something _I've_ learned is that no one wants to relive the good old days, when they weren't any good."

"What did I do? Bring up a mutual friend? Really, Duo. Don't be so sensitive. There's no war tribunal here."

He exhaled and looked away, pretending he didn't hear Heero ask how Sylvia was doing, and Dorothy then prattling about how she was at the top of most of her classes at University and dating some artistic type (_Why is it always an artist?_ Thought Duo) and didn't she used to write him?

"I've been out of touch."

"Well, that explains it, then."

They pulled up at the port just in time. Dorothy hugged Ahli goodbye. "Now you behave yourself and listen to Duo and Heero. I just know they'll protect you perfectly. And you two behave yourselves! Don't keep me out of the loop for so long next time."

If either had a response for that she didn't stay around to hear it, but hopped back into the limo and left them there on the dock.

The Gale Runner was huge, nearly as large as some of the bigger, older cruise ships, though admittedly, about half of the area made up the massive engines and the towering hull, a double hydrofoil prototype which was capable of outrageous speeds through some of the worst seas on the Earth. Duo tucked his braid in his jacket and followed a few paces behind Heero and Ahli. They really could pass for relatives, Duo reflected as he followed them up the gangplank. Ahli hung on Heero's arm, pointing and asking about something on the side of the ship. He stooped to answer her in one of those moments when his features relaxed and he actually looked like a normal human being. Duo had seen more of them in the past few days than all the time he had spent with him previously. Was he finally throwing off that conditioning, slowly but surely?

Maybe, but Duo didn't think he would ever be quite right. Never ordinary. Not Heero. There was nothing ordinary about him, conditioning or not.

Most of the ship was fully enclosed; they just went too fast to allow anyone on the decks during the main leg of the trip. The interior had several restaurants and gift shops, plus small cabins for the passengers to put their luggage and rest in privacy. The lower class ones were just compartments with seats much like the sub-lunar train, but the upper tier had actual rooms with a bed and a couch and a teeny washroom. Of course, Dorothy had sprung for them to have the very best. Duo stared at the magnificent view of the city as it receded into the distance. "One day she's gonna lose all her money and end up in a cardboard box."

"Unlikely," said Heero.

"One can dream."

"I think we should stay here for most of the trip."

"I agree. Hey, we have room service."

"Can't we see the store?" Ahli asked.

Duo and Heero glanced at one another, a silent deliberation.

"Yeah," Duo said after a moment.

"Briefly," said Heero. "We really do need to stay out of sight."

"I'll take ya," said Duo.

Heero nodded.

The boat started out at what would be a normal speed, maybe forty knots or so, until it hit the open waters of the Atlantic. Then a noisy tone sounded over the intercom, signaling the passengers that they were going to hyper-speed.

There were poles everywhere. Duo stopped and seized one, telling Ahli to do the same. He had only been on one of these once before, and it was jarring the first time.

The boat picked up speed, passengers seized nearby poles as it accelerated, and then Duo could feel it as it came right up out of the water on its foils, skimming along the surface and cutting through the waves at an terrifyingly breakneck pace. The deck was somehow balanced to keep it level even as it bounced a bit. As the speed leveled off the ride became smooth again.

"Wow," said Ahli.

"Yeah, wow," Duo agreed.

They returned to the cabin with a t-shirt and activity book for Ahli and baseball caps stitched with the ferry-lines logo--a trio of swishing waves--for all three of them. Duo got himself black, of course, and green for Ahli, and a tan one for Heero, who gave it a critical look when Duo tossed it to him. "Why?"

"I thought it would make us look more tourist-y," Duo admitted, settling his low over his eyes. "And Ahli wanted one."

Heero gave his bangs a push and put it on. Duo smirked. How did he make everything look so good?

"I wanna wear mine!"

Duo pulled the green ribbon from her hair and stuck it in his teeth while he knelt and adjusted it on her head, pulling her hair through the space above the band and retying the bow there. "How's that?"

She ran to the mirror and giggled.

"It'll look better with overalls."

"I know."

They spent the rest of the afternoon playing in the activity book and watching the waves go by in high, powerful sprays. They crossed time zones quickly, and it was late when Duo ordered a meal to be brought up and then sprawled in the bed, claiming it for Maxwell.

"Well one of us is joining you," said Heero, hardly glancing up from where he was finishing off the final scraps of his dinner. "The couch pulls out but it's hardly big enough for two."

"The bed is big enough for all of us," said Ahli, throwing herself beside Duo.

Duo smiled, though he felt it was forced. "I dunno if that's true."

"I'm fine here," said Heero.

Ahli made a slight noise of disappointment but didn't protest, yawning widely, which made Duo yawn too. "Ah, stop it."

She giggled and curled up, and was asleep in moments, and it wasn't long before Duo was too.

~

A fourth rude awakening.

Heero was leaning over him. "Someone's outside the door." He breathed into his ear.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Could be a cabin boy or something."

"Don't think so."

Duo sat up then as Heero straightened. He slid down to the end of the bed and dropped to his hands and knees, creeping over to the door. There was a bit of a shadow beneath, and when he laid his ear near the door he could hear some breathing and shuffling. It moved up the hall, then down again, passing them, back and forth.

Duo crept back to where Heero was crouched at the end of the bed, packing the bag. "I can't tell if he isn't sure what room he wants, or if he's impatient."

Heero stared at the door, then his eyes began trailing around the room, landing on the windows, touched by a weak gray dawn. He stared at them, then leaped up and walked over, running his hands over the glass.

_No, no no no!_ Duo waved his arms to try and discourage him but Heero ignored him, climbing up on the table to try and get a look straight down. He slid back down to Duo. "There's a deck only a story below us," he said.

"We're going like 200 knots!"

"No, we decelerated hours ago. We've already left England."

"Really?" He had slept right through it. Well, he hadn't slept that great the night before, and this whole mission had been exhausting, and the rocking boat rather comforting.

"I think he got on in Southampton."

"Why?"

"It would have been more advantageous to catch us while we were going 200 knots."

Heero was back on the table before Duo could reply, and was already fiddling with the window. Within moments he popped it open, and cold channel air poured into the room. Ahli sat up with a mumble, rubbing her eyes. Duo crawled to her. "Someone might be after us," Duo whispered. We're gonna sneak out."

"Okay."

"You and Ahli go," said Heero. "I'll try to head him off a few minutes while you find a good hiding spot. Possibly in a public area."

"Then what?"

"If we get split up, find Trowa. That's what I'll do too."

"What if I get lost? How will I find Trowa?"

"We won't lose you," Duo assured her. "And you know what? I think you might be able to pick out Trowa. He's a gundam pilot too. He might stand out." But only to someone looking for him. Trowa was brilliant at blending into any surrounding.

She nodded. Duo climbed to the window and stuck his head out, adjusting his cap and shouldering his bag. "Okay, let's go, Kiddo!" He seized her and lowered her as far out as he could before dropping her to the deck. He glanced at Heero. "Be careful," he murmured, then swung himself out and dropped down beside Ahli. He then pulled her aft, watching as the window was popped back into place. They hunkered down in the shelter of some lifeboats.

"Heero's brave," murmured Ahli.

"There's a thin line between brave and foolhardy," Duo muttered back.

"What's that mean?"

"It means that real bravery is when you're actually scared but you do it anyway. Foolhardy is when you should be scared but you're not."

"Oh."

The window smashed out.

Heero smashed with it, almost head first; he made a meager attempt to right himself but ended up hitting his head on the side of the boat anyway as he landed. He was still for only a few seconds while Duo tried to decide whether to go to him or not, but he pushed himself up, looked back and forth, saw Duo, and began to crawl towards them, stumbling to his feet once he was in motion.

"What happened? What the hell is it?" Duo asked as Heero approached.

Heero glanced back. There was blood coming out of his nose and a cut beside his eye. Even as Duo spoke a massive figure shoved himself through the window and dropped down upon the deck with a crash. He had to be seven feet, if he was an inch, and solid, bulging muscle wrapped in black leather.

"It's a gundam," said Heero.

Duo decided he would laugh later. He seized Ahli and ran for the back of the ship. He would trust Heero to follow. "Keep going!" Heero shouted and turned to go up some stairs that rose in the opposite direction. Duo cursed quietly and glanced over his shoulder to see Heero crouch on the stairs and wait for the massive man to storm past.

It worked…sort of. Heero launched himself almost straight down upon the man, using his weight to try and drag him down. Duo skittered to a halt to watch. The man just twisted and grabbed Heero by the forearm, peeling him off and slamming him down. Heero twisted and went to sweep the man's legs, actually managing to knock him down. He leaped upon him and dealt a powerful punch to the man's face. Duo winced. Heero's punches were deadly.

But it hardly rocked the guy. He reached up and caught Heero's jacket, yanking him downward; their skulls met with a crack that made Duo cringe. Heero went limp. The guy threw him off and pushed himself up, fixing his gaze upon Duo. "Don't try to run," he rumbled. "And don't you dare try to fight."

"I'll take door number one," grunted Duo, and turned to run. He could hear the heavy steps behind him.

A massive hand caught his collar and suddenly he was airborne. Damn that guy was fast! He landed with a jarring crash among some boxes of life jackets. He pushed himself up with a groan, then heard Ahli scream. A blur passed him; and by the time Duo was on his feet Heero and the man were trading blows.

Duo didn't know how Heero could take such hits and stay on his feet. He rummaged in his bag, searching for his gun as he ran to grab Ahli. She threw herself against him with a cry.

There was a shrill whistle. There were uniformed men approaching from the upper decks and from either end of the boat. In the distance there was a whirring, which made Heero look up a moment, long enough for the goon to get a hit in that threw him down.

"Heero!"

He scrambled to his feet and ran back towards Duo. "Let's go!"

"Where?"

The whirring was getting louder. It was coming from the water. Duo glanced back and saw it then, a bright yellow boat with a large engine was speeding to catch up with the ship.

"Stop right there!" Yelled one of the crewmen. The big guy was lumbering towards them.

Heero stopped and fell against the rail. "Over the side!"

"What?"

Heero didn't repeat himself. He seized Duo with one hand and Ahli with the other and pretty much threw them over the side, falling with them. There were screams and shouts above. Duo howled into the frigid wind. It was a long fall.

And then they hit the bottom of a rubber boat. Ahli was sobbing. Heero wasn't moving. Duo pushed himself up shakily as the boat made a sharp turn away from the cruise ship and looked up at the pilot, a tall sturdy figure in a slick black wetsuit.

"That was really stupid," said Trowa.

"You bastard!"

"Is Heero alive?"

"Not when I get through with him! How did he know?"

"I don't know if he did. What happened?"

"We were attacked. How did you know?"

"We suspected. Quatre thought your conversation with him may have been bugged, and when I got to Le Havre, I had a bad feeling. I thought I would meet you."

"Thanks. No, really." Duo crawled over to Ahli, pulling her into his arms. "Sorry Kiddo. That was pretty scary, I know. Are you okay?"

"Nooo…"

"What's wrong?"

"My wrist hurts."

"Oh, you landed funny, huh?"

"Yeah…Why do they keep doing this to us?"

"I dunno. People are crappy sometimes. Hold your wrist still and I'll take care of it as soon as I see if Heero's okay, kay?"

She nodded tearfully.

Trowa lowered a pair of goggles over his eyes. "Duo, we have to accelerate. You three need to get down."

Heero was on his side. Duo leaned over him. "Heero?" he murmured. "You alive?"

His eyes cracked open slightly, briefly, then closed again with no other sign of life. His face looked terrible. Duo sighed and went for the thick waterproof blankets and the first aide kit, drawing Ahli over and hunkering down with her against Heero. Once they were wrapped up the boat shot forward, bouncing over the waves. Duo fumbled with some bandages and wrapped Ahli's wrist tight right there under the blankets. "Sorry we couldn't protect you better."

"You protected me real good," murmured Ahli, leaning against him.

Duo pulled her close and let her sob against him, braced against the icy spray.


	12. The Circus

"Dude, you really do look like hell."

Heero peered out at Duo and Trowa from under an ice pack His hands and torso were wrapped in bandages; the open cuts on his face had been taped and stitched. He flopped in a battered recliner, under the thickest wool blanket Trowa could provide.

It smelled a bit like camel.

Duo's blanket smelled like…pony, maybe, but Duo didn't really care. The ocean spray had been cold, and Duo didn't know if he would ever feel warm again. He was huddled in it on the futon sofa. Ahli was curled up in the bed on other end of the small circus trailer, in a thick flannel nightgown and bundled under blankets.

"I survived." Heero shoved two fingers into his mouth and winced as he pulled out several pieces of a tooth and tossed them down on the table beside the open cases of bandages.

"Oh damn, Man."

"Just a crown," said Heero.

Duo nodded. All the pilots had many broken teeth by the end of the war, but were now well patched with veneers and crowns, all courtesy of Quatre's generous donations and fine dentists. Duo had hated the process with a passion that burned like the sun but had endured, glad to be able to eat with both sides of his mouth, at least. "That guy was huge."

"I know," said Trowa from where he tapped on a laptop. "I could see him from my position. Gundam," he chuckled.

Duo grinned. En route to Trowa's circus encampment right outside Paris, Duo had told Trowa about their conflict on the boat. Heero's line, quoted by Duo in as close to Heero's deadpan as he could make it, had made Trowa almost collapse with laughter. "Exactly."

Heero smirked the slightest bit, then winced at the motion. "He's still alive. He'll keep coming."

"He'll have to find us first," said Duo. "I don't think contacting Q again is a good idea."

"Not directly," said Trowa. "But there are other ways to get a message to him."

Heero closed his eyes. Duo watched him a moment, then looked back at Trowa. "So, now what?"

"Well...where are you going? Munich or Brussels?"

"Munich," said Duo. "We were bringing her to the Preventers."

Trowa glanced at Heero. "Is that wise?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

Trowa didn't answer right away. He looked at Heero for a long moment. "The Preventers take a hard line when it comes to weapons," he said.

"I thought of that. But there isn't much choice. We need all the protection and resources the Preventers can give."

"Those people will never stop coming after her."

Duo knew Trowa was right. "If we can hide her, then perhaps she can vanish the way Heero does."

"Heero only truly vanishes when there's no one around to recognize him," replied Trowa with an evenness that belied the severity of his words. "He was recognized by that double-agent in the Winter party. They knew the gundam pilots were involved. Your cover was blown before you ever reached the Titan. That freedom of information act guaranteed it. You didn't take that into consideration when you formed your plan."

"I did! I just didn't care. People recognize him. We've never shown any public connection to the Preventers."

"But one of the group has Preventer agents involved, and therefore you have to assume they would know."

"We didn't know that at the time."

"Actually, I believe we did suspect."

Duo groaned, rubbing his face. "So shoot me, Trowa! There was no way I could have guessed that anyone would try the exact same trick I did!"

"It was unlikely, admittedly, but always a possibility when you choose that sort of infiltration."

Duo sighed.

"My point is that it may be harder for her to disappear than you think."

"As long as her face doesn't end up on the news she's just a normal little girl."

"We should probably get her as far away from us pilots as possible."

"Maybe she could stay at the circus and learn some tumbling."

"It's a possibility if we're desperate. Hopefully we can find something better for her."

Duo rolled his eyes. "What's better for her is not to be treated like some monster or criminal just because of what she could possibly be."

"I agree."

Duo slouched a bit in his blanket. "I know. This mission has been one disaster after another from beginning to end. They keep tracking us."

Trowa turned his eyes upon him. "Tracking you?"

"Yeah. They've been one step ahead of us this whole time."

Trowa stared at him. "How have they done that?"

"I'm not entirely sure. Surveillance, I think. They've might have been listening in on Quatre. The shuttle was the weird one. They got ahead of us somehow."

"Could they have been tracking your phone?"

"It's been off since I used it to speak to Quatre on the moon."

"Could she be bugged?"

"I don’t...I don't know."

"They could also have hacked into the computers and security systems on the Moon. After all, you said Sweepers were involved, so theoretically there could be those who could follow you on camera the entire time you were there."

Duo was silent, digesting this.

"You really need to learn to be more careful." Trowa turned back to the computer. "I expected more from both of you."

"I...we were as careful as we could be!"

"What was the alternative?" Heero asked suddenly. Duo hadn’t been sure he was awake. "We couldn't stay on L2. They would have eventually hemmed us in, and that was unacceptable. We could have tried to take our own transportation to Earth, but we would have stood out as a target then."

Trowa didn't answer, but got up rather abruptly and went over to the small closet and began rummaging around inside.

"The fault wasn't in our present tactics," said Duo when he found his voice. "It was our sloppiness in not realizing we had new factions forming all around us. If the Preventers had been doing their job, they would have known."

"The probably did, and neglected to inform us in the interest of security," Trowa replied from inside the closet. "What about you and your Sweepers?"

"I have no idea how that got by us," said Duo.

"Unless Alexander is in on it," said Heero.

"I don't believe it. But she probably was blinded by her Uncle's loyalties," Duo admitted. "If Howard trusted someone, she probably never thought to question it."

"Are you sure?" Trowa came out with a small device wrapped in wires, which he went to untangle.

"Yeah. Even if she shared the ideology of the colony supremacists, she wouldn't risk alienating me."

"Why's that?" Trowa asked, shaking out the wires.

"I'm way too popular in the Sweeper Group. If she wants leadership, she needs my support. If I get the leadership, she'll want my ear."

Trowa considered this in silence. "What does she want you to hear?" Heero asked quietly.

Duo just shrugged, making a mental note to shut up. "I'm not the one to ask."

Trowa finally had the device untangled and now plugged it all together and switched it on. "Phone."

"My jacket."

He fished in Duo's jacket for the phone with a brief grimace of distaste and then ran the device across it, and then over the exterior of first his jacket, then Heero's. He frowned at Heero's jacket and reached into a pocket to pull out a mess of wires.

Heero cracked an eyelid. "I was trying to work up a tracking device of my own."

"I'll help if you like." He moved over to where their wet clothes hung in the kitchenette and checked them, as well as Duo's damp bag.

"I can't believe we were tracked that way."

"Always a possibility," said Heero.

Trowa turned and went to run the device over the lump under the blankets on the bed. He walked back, gave Duo another glare, and threw down the device as he sat back down at his computer.

"Toldja."

"What's too bad is we lost all the information on Quatre's computer at the Titan. We lost the upload connection before we had to burn it out."

Duo groaned. "My jacket," he repeated.

"What?"

"Front left pocket."

Trowa eyed him then got back up and a moment later pulled out Duo's jump drive. "My connection was working up to the burnout," Duo told him with a smile. "And I don't even have an internal hard drive."

Heero made a noise that might have been a quiet laugh.

Trowa gave him a glare. "This has all our search results?"

"Yes."

"If I can get this uploaded to Quatre..."

"You think you can without setting off any alarms?"

"Maybe. Encryption isn't my strongest skill."

Duo started to shove the blanket away, shivered, then just wrapped it like a toga around himself as he came over. "Get up, and I'll get it encrypted and uploaded for you."

Trowa moved quickly out of the way. Duo sat down. "You do your tricks, and I'll do mine."

"Slip up and lead them to this circus and I will kill you, Maxwell. That's a promise."

"I will bounce it off as many networks as I possibly can. Now shut up and let me work. The more I think about it, the more I think you're right. We had someone hack into the various security systems on the Moon. What do you think, Heero?"

But he didn't answer. He was dead asleep in the recliner.

~

The next night, Duo sat in the bleachers among the Parisian crowd with Ahli, munching popcorn and half-watching the circus acts as he thought over the past few days and plotted out the future. He had been to Trowa's circus more times than he could count, and though admittedly they always mixed it up, after a while it was same old, same old.

Ahli, however, was enthralled. She squealed and clapped and ate the cotton candy Duo bought for her with delight.

Trowa's abilities were nothing short of amazing, really. He swung on the trapeze, walked the high wire with Catherine on his shoulders, tumbled across the ring in a routine that would put Olympic gymnasts to shame, and of course, stood stock still and let Catherine throw knives at him. This time, she sliced an apple on his head and popped a balloon he held in his teeth. The crowd roared.

"One day you're gonna take his nose off," Duo told Catherine as they walked back to the trailer.

"Only if he deserves it," she replied. Just a little tightly, Duo thought. She didn't like him. She didn't like any of the gundam pilots. She blamed them for everything Trowa had been through, for every scar and each and every nightmare, for every time he disappeared without a word for days--sometimes weeks--at a time.

"How do you know where to throw the knives?" Ahli asked. "How do you know they won't hit him?"

"I aim," she replied. "It takes a lot of practice, and special knives that go where you tell them."

"How do you tell them?"

Catherine's hand moved like lightning. Duo felt more than saw the whistle past him and then there was a thud and a knife was quivering in the doorframe of their trailer. "With my arm and my hand. I told it where to go and it obeyed me."

Ahli stared. "Wow," she breathed.

Trowa looked pleased as he watched her pull the knife from the frame and enter the trailer. "So how long are you staying?" she asked rather pointedly.

"They're going to come with us as far as Reims, then I'll go east with them while the circus continues north."

She turned on him. "Trowa..."

He just looked at her. They stared at each other long moment, a silent argument in the middle of the trailer, though she must have known this was one she couldn't win. She sighed and turned away, heading for the bathroom without another word, passing Heero, who had taken the bed while they were out. She merely disliked Duo, but he had the distinct feeling that her thoughts on Heero bordered on outright hate.

Heero shifted a bit to look after her then at Trowa. "You don't have to accompany us, if it's a problem."

"I think you'll need me."

"We could use the help," Duo admitted.

Trowa nodded. "Getting there is only the first battle," said Trowa. "I still think you're going to have problems with the Preventers themselves."

"It's possible," said Heero. "Quatre might be able to help with that aspect."

"Maybe."

Duo didn't say anything.

Their sleeping arrangements were cramped. Heero and Ahli took Trowa's futon while Duo just took the floor and Trowa took Catherine's bed. She then went to stay with an acrobat across the way. He was surprised by how well he slept, waking up after dawn, stiff and sore from the cold floor and the exertion of the last few days.

The futon--the entire trailer, Duo realized--was empty. There was some laughter and a strange "whump" outside and behind them.

Duo shoved on his boots and went out to follow the noise, stopping still as he saw the wide board with a human figure painted on it, marred and marked by thousands of thrown blades. As he blinked, a knife landed right in the middle of the figure's forehead.

"A little high, but almost perfect! You're a natural!" crowed Catherine. "Now hit his neck."

Ahli stepped forward in a graceful position Catherine must have taught her, and the blade flew, quickly and precisely, right into the figure's neck.

"You're awesome!"

Heero was sitting on a stump nearby, sipping coffee as he watched. Duo came over and crouched beside him. "Wow," he said.

"She has the ability to learn techniques almost instantly," said Heero. "We've probably taught her too much on this trip already."

"Do you have that ability?" Duo asked him.

Heero shrugged and sipped his coffee. "When I was her age, I definitely did. I'm not sure if I've grown out of it or not."

The knife struck the figure's hand.

"She has a dead eye," Heero continued. "Good aim, perfect precision and control over her body. If she were to be trained like I was it's possible she would be the superior soldier."

"You've got all that though."

Heero nodded.

"So what would make her superior?"

"She's younger. Newer models are always an improvement over the old."

Duo's stomach turned over. "Don't talk about yourself that way."

"Now," Catherine was saying. "Once you know where to put the blade, you can work on not hitting the person, you see? Try to hit him on either side of the head, without touching him at all."

Knives flew. One came a little close. "Not bad. But you might have nicked him there."

"Why?" Heero asked.

"Because you aren't a weapon with a model number and expiration date," Duo replied more harshly than necessary.

"I know. I didn't mean it that way. But I was meant to hit the peak of physical efficiency at the time I was piloting a gundam. I'm taller and heavier now, and consequently slower and less efficient."

"You're also stronger," Duo pointed out. "And hopefully smarter."

"Up for debate," Heero snorted into his coffee. "And actually the ratio of my strength to my size has decreased."

"Well of course it has! You were bending metal bars at fifteen! There's a limit to what any human can do. But more mass means more leverage and momentum."

"I know." He looked like he was going to say something more but changed his mind and sipped his coffee in silence.

"You take it all so calmly," sighed Duo as the knife hit between the figure's legs, just close enough to make him wince.

"What?"

"The whole training and conditioning thing. How you've been treated by everyone. Being locked up in that loony bin."

Heero shrugged. "How would it change if I wasn’t calm about it?"

Duo was silent.

"I could have walked out of there at any time."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because. It would have caused trouble and didn't have anywhere else to be. And no one there wanted to hurt me. Most were pretty kind."

"But you were locked up."

"It wasn't prison. That's a possibility for all five of us, if the ESUN ever decides it doesn't have enough war criminals to try."

"Not for me, Man," said Duo. "I've got too much to do. Once I'm all done, then I can languish in a cell and get in a nap."

Heero glanced sharply at him. "Too much, like restructuring L2?"

"That's just talk right now."

"Hn." He sipped his coffee. A knife landed right above the figure's head.

"Restructuring L2?" Trowa asked from directly behind them.

Heero glanced over his shoulder as Duo startled. He would have fallen over if he hadn't leaped up. "How long have you been there?"

Trowa shrugged noncommittally. "I wouldn't have believed it," he said, nodding at Ahli.

"Me neither," said Duo.

Trowa eyed him. "I've heard talk about fixing L2. You serious?"

Duo rubbed his head. "We've discussed it. We worry about the quality of life there, you know. But it isn't a small undertaking."

"No. Definitely not," said Trowa. He walked over to the board without another word and stood there, spreading his arms wide. Ahli froze.

"I...I don't think I'm that good yet," she protested.

"I think you are. Just don't aim close to him at first. Aim for above and below his arms. He won't move. We've been doing this seven years and he's never moved even an inch. Just be confident that the knives will listen to you. Take a deep breath."

Duo held his breath as the knives flew, landing close to the edge of the board.

"You can get a little closer," said Catherine.

A blade landed beside Trowa's head. Another by his leg.

"I couldn't have done it better myself!" said Catherine.

"You do some. Let me watch," Ahli handed her the knives.

She brought the blade up before her eyes. "Once you know the knives will listen, you don't have to be afraid." She fired off three in succession, one landed close to Trowa's ear, another by his neck, and a third by his side. Then she twirled with a fourth and aimed it low, landing it almost perfectly between his legs. "See?"

"I would never stand there in front of her," Duo muttered to Heero. "She'd put it right between my eyes."

"If you were lucky," Heero agreed as Trowa pulled the knives from the board and walked over.

"Are you brave or foolhardy?" Ahli asked him.

"Hm?"

"Duo says that when you're brave, you're afraid but do it anyway, but foolhardy is when you should be scared but you're not."

Trowa smiled. "Neither," he said. "I trust Cathy and her knives. Anyone else and I would be very scared."

"Were you scared when I did it?"

"Just a little," he said, indicating with his fingers.

Ahli giggled.


	13. Europe

Two years sporadically and five more barely interrupted traveling with the circus had given Trowa Barton a distinct advantage that none of the other pilots had: he had basically been everywhere that was anywhere in Earth and Space, at least once, at least briefly, and he knew most of Europe like the back of his hand. He knew what roads to take, and which towns were the best to stop in, and which were worth passing by. They traveled in a small jeep-like thing which smoked all the way across France, until they reached Strasbourg, abandoning it well outside the walls and walking into the city.

"We're a four hour drive away from Munich," said Trowa as they ate in a little restaurant which served both French and German cuisine. "Five in the car we have."

"If it breaks down we're screwed," warned Duo.

Heero made a noncommittal shrug without really looking up from his plate. "Perhaps public transportation? What are the trains like?"

"More or less direct, but it will take longer."

Duo frowned. There was a map of the city in front of him. It curled around the river Ill, the banks were connected by several bridges and an elaborate weir, whatever that was. The little booklet explained in a dozen languages that the city was home to a magnificent medieval astrological clock, along with several other impressive attractions.

There was a screeching of brakes outside followed by a crash. Everyone in the restaurant turned to look towards the side street, several moving in that direction.

That way no one saw the brick that came flying in the front window.

Duo turned in time to see the brick crash into one of the heavy wooden tables, smashing a plate into shards, then caught the glint of glass and a trail of smoke as a second object came sailing in after the brick.

It was one of those things he knew instinctively. "Molotov!" he shouted, leaping up and away towards the windows.

Obviously, it was a word that needed no translation. People screamed and ran for the exits as it glanced off a table on the way to the floor, igniting in a massive spray of flames. The little dining room filled with dark smoke almost instantly. In moments, Duo had lost sight of his companions.

He didn't wait. He seized the nearest chair and threw it through the closest window. "Come on!" He shouted, leaping out.

Several people followed him, but neither his fellow pilots nor Ahli was among them. They must have run for a different exit. No matter. He would find them.

The question was, how did the bad guys find them?

Sirens were screaming. He decided to move away for the moment. They would too. He cursed himself for not setting up a meeting place beforehand. But they had thought themselves safe and untracked, though obviously that wasn't the case. How was it being done?

He turned and walked away, as casually as he could. He wasn't to the end of the street before he caught sight of the figure behind him, making a pathetic attempt to look like he wasn't following. He smiled grimly and turned down a side street between a tall modern looking building with dark windows and a long row of ancient looking apartments. From time to time he caught a glimpse of the river beyond.

A man stepped out in front of him.

He slowed down, lowering his head a bit to give the guy his most dangerous smile. "You sure you wanna get in my way, buddy?"

"Where's the girl?"

"No, 'Nice to meet ya,' huh?"

There were two behind him. They were dressed in the simple clothes of the pacifists. "We have no wish to fight you," said the one ahead of him. "We just want the two abominations."

"Ya know, I really don't like hearing my friends described that way."

"Duo Maxwell," said one of them behind him. "Certainly you must realize that such abominations will never allow us to live in perfect peace."

"No, it's fuckers like you who keep us from perfect peace," Duo replied calmly. "You just can't leave people alone."

One of the ones behind him moved suddenly, he whirled around to block the attack, only to be hit by something the first guy had been concealing. A billy club, maybe? He obviously didn't want Duo unconscious yet, so it just struck his shoulder with a nasty crack, hard and painfully enough to make him yelp and stagger back, clutching at his arm.

Another one punched him then, driving him backwards against the one who had struck him. He grabbed him from behind, so the other one could get in some more punches. "Where is she?" growled the third.

"Don't you know?" Duo grated, only to be hit again. Blood spattered his jacket.

This was stupid. He was getting pissed. Royally pissed. He reached up and managed to grab the guy who was holding him, then dropped and pulled, rolling him over. The guy's boot struck one of the others as he fell and he stumbled back, giving Duo time to untangle himself and straighten right into a punch to the third guy. The second had recovered and tried to come up behind him. Duo elbowed him then kicked him hard.

The first one had gotten to his knees; he reached up and seized the braid and pulled. Hard.

Duo saw sky a moment, then red as fury pounded through him. He actually used the momentum to twist around and smash his boot right into the guy's face with all the force he had. He was all Shinigami as he drew his gun and fired while the man still flailed from the kick.

The one he had elbowed turned to run. He fired after him, and the man went sprawling. The third man howled as he crawled to his hands and knees. Duo seized him by the throat and hiked him up, dragging him back against the wall and shoving his gun up under his chin. "You're next, buddy boy."

"I...I...you killed them."

"Oh, they might survive with swift medical attention, but that's entirely up to whether you're alive to call for it."

The man started to blubber. Duo reached into his jacket and switched on his phone, flipping on the recorder. "Are you Earth Sky?"

"We--we're a faction of them."

"What are you? Tell me again! Say it!"

"A--a faction of Earth-Sky."

"You wanna kill that girl and Heero Yuy?"

"They're abominations."

He tightened his grip and readjusted the gun. "I told you that word makes me mad."

"We--we just want peace and to protect the Earth."

"How did you know about the weapon, and how are you following us?"

"We have surveillance everywhere."

"Everywhere?"

"Climate tracking satellites given to us by the ESUN, plus environmental specialists on every colony. I don't know how my people found out about her in the first place. It's the truth!" He howled as Duo shifted his grip.

"You're tracking us with satellites?"

"Y-yes..."

"And on L2?"

"I don't know! I wasn't there! I assume we had people waiting at all the spaceports."

"Do you know who else is after us?"

"I don't want to die!"

"Ah, come on. It isn't that bad." Duo pressed his face closer. "Just answer the questions, and everything will be just fine. Who else is after us?"

"The...there are colony supremacists. Bartons."

"Yup. What about the others?"

"The...eugenicists."

"What?"

"The Newtype Foundation. Eugenicists. They wa--want to use the super-soldiers to improve the human race genetically."

"Wait...genetically? They want to breed them? She's just a little girl!"

"I don't know details! It's disgusting! We have to stop them!"

Duo clicked off the recorder. "Well, I kinda have to agree but I don't like your methods."

"We can't allow these threats to--" he was cut off by the crack of the pistol and his scream as Duo dropped the gun and shot his foot. He cursed through tears as Duo brought the hot barrel back up to rest against his throat.

"Now you're gonna listen to me," Duo hissed. "Those two human beings didn't have anything to do with what they are. That child has no specialized training to make her a danger. Heero Yuy has made the choice to live a peaceful life despite what he was trained to do. You go back, and you have your bosses call off this hunt. Because if you don't, I will make sure Earth-Sky is destroyed. And I mean destroy destroyed. I dare you to call my bluff. We'll take care of those Newtype freaks. You understand?"

He nodded, gulping hard against the gun. Duo caught his collar and threw him to the ground, then turned around and headed for the main street, shoving his gun away as he walked.

~

Duo decided that the best place to meet up with his friends was where he had last seen them, and returned to the smoking restaurant, only to practically bump into Trowa and nearly get shot for his trouble. "It's me! Chill!"

"Now you look like hell," he replied as he slid his gun away and motioned for him to follow to where he had left Heero and Ahli.

The four of them sat in a quiet alcove by the waterfront, as hidden from view as they could make it. Trowa patched up Duo's face while Heero checked his shoulder. "Do you have full range of motion?"

Duo winced as he lifted his arm and rotated it. "Yeah, but it hurts like hell."

"Might be a hairline fracture somewhere."

"Maybe." He winced a bit. "I did a little interrogating. It is Earth Sky." He paused a long moment. "And I found out who the third faction is."

"Oh?" Trowa asked.

"The Newtype Foundation."

"Newtype?" Heero asked instantly, almost yanking Duo around to face him before he remembered himself and just shifted to look at him. "Is that what they said?"

"Yeah. You know these guys?"

"I know the word."

"What does it mean?" Ahli asked.

No one answered her.

Trowa looked between them. "And what does this foundation want?"

"To improve the human race," said Duo. "Through eugenics."

There was a long silence there in the alcove.

"What does that mean?" Ahli demanded.

Duo looked at her. "They want to use you and Heero to find out what makes you special, and make more special people like you," he said finally.

Ahli pondered this. Trowa looked sick. Heero's face remained impassive.

"You didn't know about this?" Trowa asked Heero finally.

"I knew the word. I didn't know anyone else left alive did."

Duo had never asked the question, and as far as he knew none of the other pilots had either. No one had ever asked just how Heero Yuy had come to be, and Duo found himself very reluctant to ask now.

"What do you know?" Trowa asked finally. "About yourself and her?"

"Not that much," Heero admitted. "Most people born in space are conceived and birthed artificially. I assume that includes myself. The process is highly regulated, and any external manipulation of the process is banned, but--that doesn't mean anything." He shrugged. "They could have done anything--or nothing. I don't know." He glanced at Ahli. "We do seem to share similar traits and skills. It's more than coincidence."

"You look just a little alike too," Duo admitted. "Just a bit."

Ahli looked pleased by this, looking up to study Heero's face.

"Could there be others?" Trowa asked.

"J always implied that I was unique."

"Do you think J was responsible for her?"

"I don't know. She was obviously born before Operation Meteor, but was too young to participate at the time. So if it was him I don't understand his reasoning."

"Except that she'll hitting adulthood when you're looking at thirty," said Duo.

Heero and Trowa both looked at him. "It's obviously what these Newtype folks are thinking!" he protested.

"I was never meant to reach thirty," Heero snapped. "I was meant to be destroyed completing my mission."

"Your mission was only a success because you lived," Duo protested.

"Exactly," said Trowa. "If Heero had failed and died at any point during the conflict, it's very possible things would not have gone as well for us."

Heero looked away. Duo knew he hated being toted as the savior of the world.

"And if OZ had won, or Operation Meteor been fully successful, right about now we would be hoping that there was another perfect soldier waiting in the wings."

This made Heero look back at Trowa. "She's plan B?" he asked with a hint of amusement.

"Could it be possible?" Duo asked.

Heero looked at her, meeting her gaze. "I don't know what anyone was thinking," he admitted. "I was never told."

"So," said Duo. "Now someone thinks that Heero and Ahli here are an improvement on the human race and want to make more perfect soldiers."

"I'm not an improvement," Heero replied. "If anything I'm overly specialized. I don't adapt well, if you haven't noticed."

"But is that training or genes?" Duo asked. "Ahli has been adapting."

"So it would appear," Heero replied.

His tone was weird. Like, Heero hadn't meant adapting the way Duo had, and didn't know how to explain that.

Duo stopped and stared at Heero in the growing shadows of the afternoon and wondered if he had ever really let himself see just how very out of place he was. Painfully so. He could never blend like Duo could, never hide in plain sight, and it wasn't merely his appearance; it was his attitude, his posture, his very bearing that made him distinct. And something else, something subtle and unnamable. He had seen it at school years ago, he had seen it on various missions since, but he had grown accustomed to the difference, and had accepted it, as Trowa had admired it, and Quatre sympathized with it, and Wufei challenged it.

He winced as he slumped his shoulders and rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Man. What are we going to do about it?"

"If it was just you I'd make a suggestion," said Trowa.

"I know," said Heero.

Duo scowled. "We are not eliminating the target, so don't even go there. No, we have to eliminate the threat. We take those suckers out."

"I agree," said Trowa.

Heero nodded. "I'd like to think that it's possible. But if failure is inevitable I expect you'll do what's necessary." He stood up, taking Ahli's hand. "Let's go."

"How are we getting to Munich?" Duo asked, looking up.

"We're walking. Cross country. It'll keep us off the radar." He turned and headed for street level.

"Hey, I'm supposed to be the one in charge!" Duo shouted after him, struggling with his jacket.

"And we've seen how well that's gone," said Trowa as he followed them.

~

They found a quiet road that passed through the Black Forest; Ahli rode comfortably on Heero's back as the sun set and darkness closed around them.

They had stopped in town just long enough to grab some extra food and bounce a quick message off to Quatre from a public kiosk. "NF=Newtype Foundation=Eugenicists" was all Duo felt needed to be said. Quatre could figure out the rest on his own.

"Isn't this where all the Grimm fairy tales took place?" Duo asked, glancing around. "Big bad wolf and wicked witch and all that?"

"Really?" Ahli asked, though not nervously.

"I think this is where they were from. I hope none of the stories were true."

"Don't scare her," muttered Trowa, but Ahli giggled.

"Fairy tales aren't true," she laughed.

"I think Duo is nervous," Heero told her quietly.

"Are you scared, Duo?"

"No! And even if I were, I'm here anyway, aren't I? So I'm the brave one."

She found this outrageously funny, laughing hard enough to slip a little. Heero hiked her up further on his back.

"How far are we going to go tonight?" Duo asked.

"You _are_ scared," Trowa said, sounding scandalized in the darkness. "What is wrong with you?"

"I am not scared, Trowa. I am lazy, and my shoulder hurts like a sonovabitch. I can walk all night if I have to but I would really prefer to take at least a couple breaks."

"Agreed," said Heero. He probably felt even worse than Duo did. "Let's try to go a couple hours, then we'll rest a while."

"Sounds fine."

They walked with little talking and no light. The only time they switched on the flashlight was when they would meet a sign or an intersection along their path, checking to make sure they were still on the right road.

Ahli slept right there holding onto Heero, and barely roused herself when they finally took a break, sitting in a patch of grass under a tall tree a few yards off the road. They shared some water and rabbit food, sitting without speaking until Heero was moved by some internal clock and stood up, lifting Ahli and heading back for the road with simply a murmured, "Let's go."

Duo tried to calculate in his head how long a four-hour car ride translated to in walking distance. "Carry me next," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"I can if I have to," Heero replied.

"Good. Because I'm not doing it," said Trowa.

"It'll be over my shoulder," Heero added.

Trowa snorted.

"I'm walking, I'm walking."

He was just thinking that the sky was going a little grayer than it had been, and that he could see Heero just a bit better walking ahead of him, when there was a roaring in the road ahead of them. Heero stopped and looked.

And then there was light.

Everywhere.

Spotlights shone down on them from all directions. Duo and Trowa had their guns out as dark figures in navy and olive jackets surrounded them, all holding heavy rifles. Heero slid Ahli to the ground and kept her behind him.

"Drop your weapons!" roared one.

"Bite me!" growled Duo, taking aim.

"Maxwell!" Wufei was pushing his way through to the road. "Stand down, you moron! That goes for all of you!" he snapped at the Preventers.

Duo lowered the gun slowly, and Trowa slower still. Only then did the Preventers drop their weapons. Wufei came right up to them. "It's all good. We have complete control of the Preventers now."

"That's good. You look okay."

"Flesh wound," he replied dismissively.

"Is Une all right?" Heero asked.

"Yes. Your Sweepers helped neutralize the hostage situation, and ferreted out the other hidden insurgents." He stepped a bit closer. "And they all need to learn a lesson about how things are done in the Earth Sphere," he growled.

"Really?" Duo tilted his head. "And how's that, Wuffay?"

Wufei glared. "We'll discuss it later. We have a deadline to meet. Let's move."

"How did you find us?" Heero asked as they headed for a waiting truck.

"Maxwell turned his phone back on," said Wufei without looking back.

Heero and Trowa stopped stock still and turned to stare at him with huge eyes.

"Huh? Oh. Shit, yeah." Duo rubbed his head. "I turned it on to record what that guy I fought had to say." He was an idiot. How could he have been so careless?

"It's a good thing," said Wufei. "We would have guessed you were on a train if you hadn't."

Trowa and Heero said nothing, but Duo could feel their disappointment and irritation. "I'm an idiot," he said quietly.

"Forget it," said Heero.

Trowa said nothing.

Wufei vanished into the darkness, and they were herded into the back of a large truck, sitting among the Preventers as it roared to life and headed towards Munich. Trowa was frowning.

"Don't kill me, kay?" Duo asked quietly.

"It's not you," he murmured. "Why didn't Wufei come alone?"

"Huh?"

"He could have." Trowa glanced at Heero, who was staring into space.

Ahli leaned against Duo. "So, I'm safe now?"

Duo looked among them. "Y-yeah, I think so."

"Heero," said Trowa, looking past Duo.

He didn't respond for a long moment. "Hm?"

"You really think this is for the best?"

"It's our mission," said Heero.

"Fuck the mission," growled Duo. "You think this is a trap," he murmured in a quieter voice to Trowa.

"No," said Trowa. "Wufei would die before being complicit in any sort of duplicity. Which makes it worse than a trap."

Duo turned this over in silence, pulling Ahli a bit closer to him.

Dawn touched them as they rolled through the streets of Munich to one of the large ancient palaces which had been converted to Preventer's headquarters. Wufei met them as they climbed from the truck, up wide stone stairs, and through an arched doorway into a huge hall.

"It's so big!" cried Ahli. "You could put all of Pax Terra in here! And lookit!" She pointed to one of the painted murals where angels cavorted among the mountains.

Lady Une approached with a smile. "Excellent work, gentlemen. You not only recovered the weapon, you outed the Colony supremacists, who are now in full retreat."

"Duo! Heero!" Quatre was suddenly there, hugging all of them with a bright smile. "I'm so glad you're all right!"

"Hey, Quatre."

"This is Quatre?" Ahli asked.

"That's me, Sweetheart," said Quatre gently, bending to smile at her.

"Duo says you're the nicest guy he knows."

"Oh really?" he flushed a little as he straightened. "I don't know about that. I'm sure there are lots of people nicer than me."

"Yeah, but I don't know any of them," Duo explained.

Une cleared her throat; Quatre grinned and held a transfer card out to Duo. "There you are. Payment in full." He handed another to Trowa. "Heero, you don't have an account set up. I couldn’t pay you without knowing where to transfer the funds to."

"Pay Duo," said Heero quietly. "He'll pay me."

"Actually, that's what I did," he replied with a laugh. "If you don't get every penny you deserve, let me know."

"Would I shortchange my buddy?" Duo asked, blinking at Quatre.

"Of course not! I was kidding!"

"I'm not worried," said Heero.

"Thank you very much, Mister Maxwell. Mister Barton. Quatre here has a private shuttle for you to take home," said Une.

"Uh, well," Duo gave a slight laugh. "I've gotta wait for Mister Yuy, see. Because I now owe him quite a bit of cash, and I don't think it would be gentlemanly of me to just run off."

"You're not leaving?" Ahli cried, grabbing at his hand.

"No way, Kiddo."

"Heero Yuy is going to stay with us," said Une.

"And just why is that?"

"I told you this would happen," muttered Wufei.

"It's okay, Duo," said Quatre. "We got your message about the Newtype Foundation, and the Preventers think it would be better if Heero and Miss Ahli here stayed under Preventer protection for a while."

"That's reasonable," said Heero in that quiet, even tone that set Duo's teeth on edge. It was the same one he had used when he was in that _place_. That resignation to his fate. Like he didn't matter.

"Yeah, well, what happens once the Newtype Foundation is taken care of?" Duo asked.

"I didn't know you were Heero Yuy's keeper, Maxwell," snapped Wufei.

"It's a valid question," protested Quatre. "Protection from an immanent threat is one thing, but both of these people have the freedom to make their own choices."

Une touched her head. "Quatre, I would like to agree with you, and I do for the most part, but the ESUN has been informed of this matter and they are not happy with the thought of a second perfect soldier running loose and untrained."

"The key word is untrained," said Duo. "She's just a regular kid with a lot of potential. She's not a threat to anyone."

"And they are also unhappy that we lost track of Heero Yuy for so long."

"I knew it! You want to put him back in that loony bin!" Duo shouted. "Along with her!"

"Where?" Ahli asked.

"Stop it!" Heero snarled.

"I will not stop it! You won’t stand up for yourself because deep down you still have that self-destruction thing going on, so if you won’t, I will! You listen to me, Une! If you want Heero to stay here for now, fine! I agree he’s a target. But until he is no longer a target, this matter is not resolved and he is still my sub-contract, and I am not leaving him anywhere! And as for Ahli, she is _not_ a weapon, and I will _shoot_ the next person who calls her that!"

Wufei rubbed his temples. Quatre smiled bemusedly. Heero and Trowa were both looking at him like he had three heads. Une glared. "Are you finished?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," he growled.

"Now you listen to me," she said with surprising gentleness. "Everyone in this room agrees with you, but the world is far larger than this room. Everyone here cares very much for Heero, but that very thing can blind us to the truth of the matter. And Ahli is a little girl now, but that won’t always be the case. Things are not as simple as you make them out to be."

"Actually," said Duo. "Yeah, sometimes things are just that simple."

Quatre came to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Duo, it’s all right. I agree with you. But let’s settle the current matter first, then we’ll deal with the future."

Duo gazed at him. "I'm not letting this go, Q."

"I know. And I don't expect you to."

Une turned and motioned for them to follow her down the hall.

Ahli ran to Duo, clutching at his jacket. "Why are you mad?" she asked. "I don't understand!"

"I'm not mad," he said. "I'm worried."

"About me?"

"Yeah. About you and Heero."

"But...these people are here to protect me, right?"

"I think so. But they want to protect everyone, you see."

Ahli pondered this as they walked. "So if I'm a weapon," she said slowly. "They think people should be protected from me. And Heero too?"

"I think some of them think that."

"Duo, am I a weapon?"

"No," he replied. "And don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Heero was stone-faced and silent. Duo glanced at him but could think of nothing to say.

They reached a luscious sitting room, Une gestured for everyone to enter but seized Duo's jacket as he started to pass, then shut the door on everyone else and faced him in the hallway. "I can't believe you're the same little punk pilot of Deathscythe," she murmured.

He glared.

"Do you have any idea what the Vice Minister and the rest of your supporters have to go through to keep all five of you safe and off the radar? The freedom of information act was a direct attack upon you, and you don't even understand that fact. But here's what I think you do understand, and that is how very dangerous Heero Yuy is."

Duo still didn't answer her.

"You and I both know exactly what he is capable of. I know the kind of person he is, and you know it, but other people don't know it, and he scares them, and they attack him, and they get hurt, or killed. And that scares people more. People in high places, who want to control what they fear."

"It doesn't give anyone the right to incarcerate him just to give people a sense of well-being."

"I know that. But I want you to consider that perhaps he needs to be someplace where he can be supported and helped in a way that we can't, because we are too close to the situation."

"He doesn't..." Duo stopped, thinking of the day before, of that moment of seeing Heero's isolation so clearly.

"But to be honest, that isn't what I wanted to say to you."

"Oh?"

"We'll discuss Heero later. With Heero. What I want to know is who trained those Sweepers of yours?"

"No one, really. We're just scavengers who came together to make a profit."

"What I saw was no band of ragtag scavengers. You have an army."

He rubbed his head with a chuckle. "You flatter. We have good security, but that's all."

"So you say. I don't trust Envoy Alexander."

"I do," he replied instantly. "Howard trusts her, and he's never steered me wrong."

"Duo, the Preventers want to encourage the Sweepers to choose you to lead them when the time comes."

"Really? You think I'll come to heel more easily?"

"I think you'll listen to reason better than she can."

"Are you sure?" he asked with a mischievous grin, waggling his eyebrows at her.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I would prefer a moron to a loose cannon."

He couldn't help an appreciative laugh. "I see."

"And I still would like to know how they came to be so well trained. Did you do that?"

"I just encouraged some of them to learn, at Howard's suggestion."

"I think you should ask Howard about the Newtype Foundation."

"That might be a good idea, but he can't speak at the moment."

"A pity," she said. "Perhaps another means of communication?"

"I can ask Lex."

She just nodded and turned to go back into the room.

That was when everything exploded.


	14. The Warehouse

Duo blinked slowly and tried to move, only then realizing that the ornate door had landed on him. Gunfire echoed around him, so he lay still a moment, struggling to get his bearings. Hadn't he been talking to Une? What the hell?

There was a crunch and a massive black boot landed right in front of his face. Duo shifted carefully to try and see better. It was that gundam guy, carrying a limp body over his shoulder as he stormed past.

There was a distant scream. Ahli! Duo struggled beneath the door then, gundam be damned. He emerged to a war zone, dust and fire was everywhere. A bullet whizzed close by his head so he ducked a moment.

"Duo! Heero!"

He couldn't see her. "Don't you worry!" Duo shouted at the top of his lungs. "Remember what you learned! I will come for you!"

The big guy turned around to face him. The body over his shoulder was Heero. He wasn't moving at all. "Too late, buddy," he growled, and pulled a gun.

Duo dove down as bullets tonked around him. A moment later there was a snorted laugh and another explosion, and within moments a strange stillness filtered around them. Distant sirens screamed in the distance. There were coughs and groans as people moved and lowered guns.

Une was cursing as she shoved herself to her feet. "Get every available man on tracking them down!" she snarled. "What the hell happened to our security?"

"They were still following us," Duo murmured, though he wasn't entirely sure that was the case. Perhaps they had just guessed that they would come to Munich.

"Mam! They are already gone! They took helicopters on a Eastward bearing and vanished in the mountains."

"Find them! Track them down!"

"Mam, are we to avoid deadly force?"

There was a pause. Duo saw Quatre emerge from some rubble, helped up by Trowa. Both were watching Une with concern. He could hear Wufei cursing loudly in the other room.

"Yes, for now," she replied finally.

"For now?" Duo asked.

She gazed at him. "We cannot allow either of them to be used in a eugenics experiment."

"Then I had better go get them, huh?"

"You don't know where they're going."

"I will! There has to be a way to find them!" Even as he finished speaking, Duo's phone pinged that he had a message.

Quatre blinked at him. Duo pulled out his phone and looked.

A sequence of numbers had been texted to him from an unlisted number. "What the hell? Is that--" It looked like a frequency.

Quatre came and looked. Trowa snorted as he approached, dusting plaster from his hair. "He actually got that thing working?"

"His own tracking device," Duo murmured. "You have a receiver?" he asked Une. "I think I just might have a way to find them. Quatre, I'm gonna need your shuttle after all."

"You've got it!" He enthused. "But Duo, are you all right?"

Duo paused. Was he? He ached all over and his shoulder still hurt and he was sure he was more damaged than he felt now with the adrenaline still pumping through him. But Heero was out there. Heero and that little girl who could have the life Heero was denied...

"I'm fine," he said. "Let's move out."

~

"I thought there for a while you had decided not to be friends anymore."

The receiver pinged quietly as the shuttle shot across the Asian continent. Duo was pulling on the best armor and padding the Preventers had to offer as Quatre piloted the shuttle. Wufei and Trowa were with the rest of the Preventers, following several hundred miles behind.

"We never stopped speaking," said Duo was a frown. "We just had to--uh, go our separate ways for a while."

Quatre had his guiltiest expression on. "I know. It happened after I sent you to see him. I thought you could do each other some good."

"Well, Q, we learned a valuable lesson. If you put two guys in the process of making bad decisions together, the final result will be even worse decisions."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It probably helped in the long run, because I could see everything a lot more clearly after that. Probably the same for him, though he's never said." Besides that brief discussion on the moon, they had both steered clear of discussing that part of their past. It was over and done with, after all. "I know it sounds stupid, but he's just about the best friend I've ever had. I mean...we hardly see each other and hardly talk when we do but..."

"No, I know what you mean," said Quatre. "He's very special, to all of us. That's why we have to make the effort to get him and Ahli back."

Duo came and sat in the co-pilot seat sideways. "Quatre, we cannot, and I mean cannot allow him to go back to that place. We can't allow politicians and Preventers to take away his freedom based on what they think he is capable of. Same for Ahli. You must have some influence somewhere."

Quatre nodded slowly, watching the airspace before him. "I agree, Duo. I don't want you to worry about it."

"It's kinda hard not to."

He nodded, then glanced at Duo with a knowing smile. "I think he considers you his best friend, too. And rightfully so."

"No he doesn't," Duo snorted, not believing it for a moment.

Quatre didn't argue with him, merely smiled as he rechecked the receiver. "It's definitely leading us to Japan."

"Okay." Duo got up to finish getting ready. "You put me right above them."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Wufei says Heero wouldn't come until he was told that you had requested him."

"He knows I'm good for the cash."

"I see. Looks like the transmission is--" he stopped.

Duo turned. "What?"

"It just vanished. Heero," he whispered.

"So they found it," Duo said. "Just keep zeroed in on its last transmission."

"Yes. It looks like a warehouse facility in Northern Japan."

"Okay. Then that's where we're going." He picked up the heavy pack and slung it on, buckling it around himself. When was the last time he had done this? Several years previous? He couldn't remember. He adjusted his braid. "ETA?" He sounded like Heero.

"Four minutes. Duo, please be careful."

"I will, Q!" He slid on a pair of goggles, rubbing them with the side of his glove, listening to Quatre speak with Sally on the other shuttle.

"The Preventers will storm the building in a little under twenty minutes. I suggest that you and Heero and Ahli be out of there when they do."

"Roger that!" Okay, he had spent way too much time with the guy. He bent his knees and stretched his arms like an athlete waiting for his run, trying to loosen sore muscles.

"Don't you want a helmet?" Quatre asked.

"I'm fine!"

Quatre shook his head. "We'll be over the facility in ten...nine...eight..."

Duo took a breath and hit the hatch control. Frigid air blasted him as it swung open. He stepped right up to the edge, clinging to the doorframe.

"Two...one! Over the target!"

"Buh-bye, Q!" Duo stepped out into the void.

The shuttle banked quickly away, leaving him to fall alone through the roaring air. He couldn't help a shout of laughter, which was carried quickly away by the wind. How did he get himself into these messes?

Oh yeah. That whole gundam pilot thing. Dammit.

He didn't let himself freefall long before pulling the ripcord, muttering a quick prayer as he did so. Must have worked, because the parachute opened like a dream, catching him with a jolt. His shoulder burned with the pain of it but he just set his teeth and ignored it.

He seized the directional controls and let himself actually get a look at the facility below him. It did look like a warehouse. There was a high wall with razor wire all around the parameter, and only one gate in or out. Great. He scanned the area quickly, memorizing it and checking it against the compass on his wrist. 

There was a lot of movement by the gate, like an evacuation had already been called. A bullet whizzed passed him, striking the parachute and making it juke a bit. "Aw, hell no," he growled, pulling his pistol and taking aim at the quickly growing figure on the rooftop. The person dove for cover, and Duo banked sharply, circling to make himself a difficult target.

He hit the rooftop in a flurry of gunfire, he threw himself one way as he released the parachute to go another, opening fire in the first direction that seemed logical as he threw himself down upon the rough gravel surface and scurried towards some pathetic cover behind some sort of vent.

"The Preventers only sent one guy?" someone asked, as if to his comrades.

Duo threw off his goggles and pulled out a second handgun. "That's all they needed!" he snarled as he leaped up, firing. Two figures went down instantly, one dove behind the stairwell. Duo turned and went running back where he came from, then pivoted and threw himself against the wall of the stairwell, leaning back against it and spreading his arms wide to aim his guns at both corners. How smart was this guy? Or was there more than one? He kept looking back and forth, cursing himself for not thinking this move through. He hadn't realized until now how used he had become to working with someone else.

He was just getting ready to move when there was the light hiss of static on his left as someone's radio buzzed. Mistake! Duo was in motion, throwing himself around the corner and firing low. The man screamed and sank down with a bloody thigh. Duo kicked him hard. "Where are they?"

"I--I dunno, Man! I just work here!"

Duo saw the man's eyes glance behind him; he ducked and fired as he turned and a fourth guy flailed backwards. Duo turned his attention back to the one scrambling painfully backwards across the rooftop. He seized his collar. "You don't know what's inside there?"

"They brought in some people, yeah. But I don't have nothin' to do with that."

Duo cursed and struck the man a hard blow, dropping him, then straightened and headed for the door. He didn't bother trying the lock, just blew it away as he approached and kicked it open.

"If I had a Heero Yuy, where would I keep him?" he muttered, edging inside and peering down the stairwell. It was oddly quiet. Perhaps they weren't expecting him to make it this far. They had underestimated them before.

That, or everyone was too busy scrambling to get out before the Preventers arrived.

He got to the next landing and checked his watch. Fourteen minutes before the Preventers arrived with guns blazing. Not good. He threw himself down the stairs and bashed out the first door he saw a light beneath.

The hall was quiet, too. This was odd. "They're either making their stand somewhere or they're bugging out." The latter option was the logical course of action if they knew about the Preventers but who the hell knew with these people.

The hall was sterile and white like a hospital. Duo did not like it one bit. There was a row of windows down one side; he looked in and blinked.

A man was sprawled haphazardly across a gurney, unconscious and bleeding. Duo grinned.

"Heero?" he called as he kicked the door in, keeping his gun raised.

"Duo!" squeaked a voice, and Ahli came creeping out from beneath a cart. He managed to holster his guns by the time she threw her arms around him. "Duo! You came!"

He knelt to hug her. "Of course I did. I told you I would, and I never lie. But what happened? Where's Heero?"

"I dunno. I never saw him wake up. They carried him that way." She pointed down the hall.

"Then...who got rid of this guy?"

She stepped back from him, looking fretful and not a little guilty. "You said...you said remember what I learned, so...I did what you and Heero would have done."

That's when he saw her overalls were painted with blood. That's when he saw the bloody instrument on the floor near the twitching man. Duo's eyes went wide and his stomach went a little cold as he realized what she was saying. "Oh. Okay."

"Was that wrong?"

"It's not wrong to defend yourself from someone who's gonna hurt you. Especially someone bigger than you are. But where is everyone else?"

"Well, when he yelled the other man ran away. Before, they were talking about the Preventers coming and needing to evacuate."

"Okay. Well, we better get Heero, right? He might need rescuing, huh? And we're just the two to do it."

She nodded. He led her to the hall but she stopped in the doorway and looked at him. "Duo..."

"Yeah, Kiddo?"

"It felt really bad," she said quietly.

He came back to her, kneeling again in the heavy gear. "I know," he said. "It does. You know what that means, don't you?"

"What?"

"That you are definitely, definitely not a weapon."

She gave a little squeak and threw her arms around his neck. He grinned. "Come on. We'll talk a lot later. But we gotta rescue Heero."

"Roger that," she said.

"Don't do that," he said with a worried smile. "Any clues about where they were taking him?" He glanced at his watch then decided he would rather not.

"They said something about a sub-level six. What's that?"

"That is where we are going, my dear. Not very organized, are they?" He led her back to the stairwell and shoved the door open.

The hail of gunfire was almost like a solid wall. He had only time to throw Ahli aside before he was struck hard enough to fly backwards down the hall, smoking. He howled as he hit the floor; hoping against hope the armor had held. It felt like it had but was still insanely painful, and as he gathered himself he realized there was blood on his neck.

"Duo!" screamed Ahli, scrambling for him.

"Careful," he wheezed, struggling for his handguns. He had only seen three. He should be able to handle that. He shouldn't have let them get a jump on him. His left hand didn't want to hold onto his gun; the heavy piece clattered to the floor. Ahli seized it and held it towards the door. "L-like this?"

No. No, she's not a weapon. Don't let her become what Heero was. What we all were. Don't send her down that path...but...we're gonna die here and Heero is somewhere and we don't know where and the Preventers are going to come storming in and there's going to be bullets everywhere and Heero will be in even more danger...

"Like that," he said. "But you don't haveta kill them. Aim low if you want. Or just shoot near them."

"You kill them."

"Because that's what I do. But Heero doesn't. Wait. Wait!" He rummaged in his pocket. "Maybe you don't have to. Just...just cover me."

She nodded, holding the gun still. The door began to creep open. She pursed her lips and squeezed off a shot.

The kick knocked her backwards, but the bullet hit the door by the handle and it shut quickly.

"Good job," said Duo, pushing himself painfully up and struggling towards the wall. "Next time, let them open it."

"Okay. That hurt." She rubbed her shoulder.

"That's a big gun for a little lady," he replied.

"Your ear is bleeding!"

"Ah. Really? Great." The grenade felt heavy in his hand.

The door slowly opened. Duo got on his knees and crept down the hall towards it. As soon as it was open far enough, he pulled the pin and tossed the grenade right through the door. "Come here to me!" he shouted as there panicked cries in the stairwell. Ahli threw herself towards him, and a moment later there was a ear-splitting bang and smoke began billowing out from beneath the door. Duo seized Ahli and bashed his way right into chaos and smoke of the stairwell, shoving his way through and leaping blindly down the stairs. The pain, the pain... he gulped and forced himself to keep moving. Bullets tonked around them. Then the stairs ran out and there was no where else to go. He bashed out into another sterile hallway and got several steps down it before he stumbled to his knees, coughing.

"Duo?"

"I'm...I'm okay," he took a breath. He couldn't look himself. "Do you see...any blood on my sides or legs?"

She scrutinized him with a seriousness Heero would be proud of. "No. Just your ear. It...it's really hurt."

"Is it?"

She nodded. He reached up carefully to touch his left ear but it was hard to tell how bad it was through his gloves. But yeah. It was bad. "Okay." He pushed himself up, leaning on the wall for support. "We gotta find a way to keep going down." 

He didn't want to think about how close that bullet had come to his brain. 

He glanced back at the stairwell; so far they weren't following. Lucky break? "Duo! Is that it?" There was an elevator around the corner. Duo nodded wordlessly as he approached. There were no buttons, just a keycard lock.

"Okay. I can hotwire it," Duo sighed, not sure he could. Ahli tugged his leg. "Yeah?"

"Would this help?" He held up an id card. "It was that man's."

"You are a jewel! How did you know to do that?" He took it and gave it a swipe.

"I dunno. It fell on the floor."

The elevator rumbled open.

"Ah, no code needed," he murmured, peeking inside before ushering Ahli in. He hit the button for sub-level six and the doors rumbled closed.

"There may be more guys with guns down there. And I haven't seen the big guy yet."

"He's the one who hit Heero. He had something on his hand."

"Did he? What sort of thing?"

"Uh, it buzzed, and when he hit Heero with it, it made a popping sound."

"Taser, most likely," Duo murmured, thinking. "Crouch down there," he said as the elevator stopped. He crouched himself as the doors rumbled open.

Silence.

He edged forward, straightening a bit, and peeked out.

He just managed to see the flash of motion and duck down beneath the angry fist that smashed into the elevator wall. "Run and find a hiding place," Duo hissed. "Now. Hey! What sort of a greeting is that?" He poked out and ducked again as the massive man swung; he felt Ahli scurry out behind him and run off.

"Why don't you turn around and go home, little guy?"

Duo scrambled backwards out of the elevator, glancing around for the first time. They were in a wide, poorly lit warehouse of a basement. "Ah, I would, see, but you guys took something that I really want back." He rolled out of the guy's reach.

"Sorry, you ain't getting your little boyfriend back."

"Boyfriend? Hey now. We're just pals. He's my subcon--" he leaped up and dodged behind some boxes as the big guy lunged, the hair on his neck standing up as the taser popped against the cold floor. Duo looked up at the ceiling. Large pipes and support beams. Maybe...

"Come on! You can do better than that, little guy!"

"Stop calling me that!"

"I should call you 02, then?"

Duo frowned a bit, creeping around the boxes, hunting through his pockets.

"Yeah, I know you're a gundam pilot, same as this one. I always wanted to kick some gundam pilot ass."

Duo scanned the ceiling again, looking down just in time to see the flash of a shadow, he dodged just before the fist struck again, shattering the box. "You're pretty stealthy for such a big guy."

"You're just as slippery as the little rat you are."

"Yeah, well..." he crept away, dodging one more time, then seizing a grenade, pulling the pin, and lobbing it towards a lip in the ceiling before taking off running towards another stack of boxes.

"What the hell are you--" he got no further. Duo threw himself down, covering his head with his arms as the explosion rocked the sub-level. "You little bastard! You--" he howled as a pipe blew and water blasted everywhere. Duo rolled over and struggled to grab his gun but the guy was barreling at him, bleeding, wet, and angry. Duo let his eyes go wide and his gun waver; the guy lunged and Duo threw himself away has hard as he could, yelping in pain as he did.

The taser fired with a terrible pop. The man shrieked and spasmed, then collapsed twitching and dripping to the floor.

"Stealthy. Not smart," Duo sighed, pushing himself to his feet, wondering if he wasn't going to be sick.

He headed down the main room, glancing around. Near the end was a massive freight elevator, for a truck, perhaps. Beside it, a large coffin-shaped metal box was set up on end in a steel framework, chains ascended from a hole in the top to hang from the frame above. Duo squinted as he approached it. "You gotta be kidding me. They wouldn't."

The silvery sword was right against his neck and a light hand on his shoulder. He had never heard her, never seen a shadow of movement. "Oh yes we would. He is the perfect soldier, after all. We can't take any chances."

"Hey, Kiki."

"Hello, Duo." She reached down and pulled the gun from his hand, tossing it aside.

"How useful is he to you inside a box?"

"He won't be there forever. We have other facilities. Once he's secure, I'm sure he'll come to see things our way."

"And what way is that?"

"That he is a superior human being. Destined to help us create more superior human beings."

"He is superior, but not the way you think he is."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. You wouldn't understand, though. And I'm not going to stand back and watch my friend get used, the way he's been used his whole life."

"He understands all about sacrificing himself for a higher purpose."

"Higher purpose as in making more people to use?"

"We just want to find out what makes him superior."

Duo sighed. "He isn't superior, Kiki. He really isn't. But he is better. Better than me, and way better than you. He was the perfect soldier, the best. But he realized that isn't what makes a person better. What made him better was choosing to give it all up, and live like a normal human being, go looking for God in the mountains. I'm just a regular guy and I haven't even figured out how to do that yet."

"But his genes. They must have--"

"Genes don't make people good or bad. I'd rather live with weak dumbasses who are good than a whole bunch of strong geniuses who are evil. And what you are doing here is evil, and evil will bring evil."

She lowered the sword a bit. "We just want to make the world strong. The things he's survived..."

"No one should survive that, I know. And maybe it's better that way. It keeps us from doing stupid things, like going to war again."

"We are going to do this, Duo! And you won't get in our way. We will make the human race stronger!"

"What makes a human strong is their heart, not their genes! And you can't clone that!"

"You're so stupid and blind! You just don't understand."

"And I don't want to."

"Then you're going to have to die," she sighed.

The gunshot shattered the silence; Kiki dropped the sword with a cry and sank down. Duo whirled around. Ahli was standing with his gun, shaking hard. Kiki was clutching her leg, cursing quietly. "You little..."

"See? I didn't kill, just like Heero."

"Just like Heero," sighed Duo. "Good job. Sorry, Kiki." He turned and headed for the box. High above them there was a rumble.

Ahli gave a cry, there was a clatter, and something shoved him forward. He looked down to see Kiki's blade; she had obviously tried to plunge it through his midsection, but the armor had deflected it enough so it merely sliced his side. A bullet which remained in the armor dislodged and tonked to the floor. "Oh, you bitch," he grated, just as she yanked the sword back.

That hurt. He groaned and stumbled. Ahli shook. "Should I--should I kill her?"

"N-no. Don't."

"Why not? She's perfectly capable. You could if you wanted to, Ahli!"

She looked up at Duo, who smiled weakly. "Yeah, you could."

"But I'm not gonna," she said.

"Good job. And what you're gonna do, bitch, is come with us and explain yourself to the Preventers." He went to reach for her, but she suddenly swung her good leg in a powerful kick, just grazing his chin before leaping up and limping away towards a side entrance.

"Should I shoot her?"

"No. Let her go. The Preventers will get her. We gotta get Heero." He eyed the box as he approached. A simple padlock. He paused to find the pick he wanted, drawing it from his braid before blinking a few times to clear his vision and stepping up on the frame to reach the lock. It took three tries to get balanced. That really hurt.

"Duo, your side is bleeding now."

"Yeah, I sorta figured." He locked popped, and he reached up to pull it free and yank the door back.

Ahli gave a cry of dismay as Duo lurched forward.

He had been hung upside down, his head maybe six inches off the bottom of the box, suspended by his shackled wrists and ankles. A collar was shackled to the back of the box to keep him from struggling. Duo struggled up into the box and went to work on the collar first. Simple buckle. That was good.

Heero blinked wearily. "Took you long enough."

"Yeah, well, we were delayed."

"I heard. Their heart, not their genes? Really, Duo?"

"Oh, shut up!" There wasn't much room to get behind Heero to reach the shackles. "Uh...sorry for the weird position, man." He reached around him in an awkward sort of embrace, fumbling blindly with the lock pick.

"Heero! I did it like you would! I didn't kill her!"

"Good job. Duo?"

"I'm working on it!"

The building shuddered. The shackles clicked loose and Heero reached out to grab at Duo for support with one arm and put the other on the floor. "Hold on, Buddy," Duo groaned, reaching up to struggle with the ankle cuffs. Fortunately, he had practice now and they went faster. He grabbed Heero's legs to keep him from falling and helped him down. Heero just sat at Duo's feet a moment, shaking a bit and rubbing his wrists, then reached up. "We gotta go. Is that the Preventer attack I hear?"

"Should be," said Duo, seizing his hand and hauling him up, then suddenly throwing his arms around him. "Glad you're okay, Buddy."

"Yeah. Are you?" he looked Duo over quickly before climbing down to the floor, where Ahli hugged him tightly.

Duo followed slowly. "Oh yeah. Nothing I can't handle."

"Your ear..."

"I know. Let's just go."

There was another rumble. Duo gestured to the giant service elevator and Heero nodded, the three of them limped to it and Duo yanked hard on the lever. It began to chug slowly upwards. "Where were they planning to take you? Do you know?"

Heero shook his head, blinking a bit dizzily. "No. They didn't say." 

Duo came over to Ahli and took his gun back. "You know they're still going to think you're a weapon," he told her seriously. "That's why you can't say anything about using my gun, or what you did to defend yourself from that scientist man."

"What did she do?" Heero asked quietly.

"She defended herself. But if anyone asks, I did that. Okay? And I shot Kiki, too."

Ahli paused, then nodded. "So, we're gonna lie?"

"It isn't a lie. We're just not going to tell the truth."

Heero smirked. "I agree with Duo," he said. "He saved us, plain and simple."

"Okay," she said. "Thank you, Duo, for saving me."

"It was my plea--" The elevator jerked and stopped as the lights went out. "Aw! Please no!"

"We'll climb," said Heero, going over to the wall.

"Dude, I am bleeding!"

"And I can't feel my hands but if we stay here the elevator may fall."

"Hate hate hate," muttered Duo, seizing the rail that acted as a makeshift ladder.

Duo didn't know how long they climbed, just that the rumbles and shots were getting louder, and it wasn't long before he could hear voices, too. He finally came to a massive door which had to lead out. "Uh, now what?"

"We'll get it open," grated Heero.

"I'm not superman and neither are you!" He seized his gun and pounded the handle against the metal. "Hey! Heeeyyyyy!"

"Will that work?" Ahli asked.

"Unlikely," said Heero. "Move, I'll..."

There was a powerful crash, and the door went falling over. Trowa was standing there with a triumphant look on his face. "So you're alive," he said, seizing Duo by the jacket and hauling him up even as Wufei reached for Heero.

"Oh, Duo! Your ear!" cried Quatre.

"It's not...not so bad," he groaned, falling to his knees. Ears could be repaired. "You got Kiki, I hope?"

"Oh yes," laughed Wufei. "They caught the bitch trying to sneak out the back."

Heero landed beside him, both men flopped over on the cracked cement, Ahli came and crouched between them. "Duo saved us!" she cried, looking at the other three pilots. "He saved us, even though he was shot and stabbed and attacked by a gundam!"

"A what?" Quatre asked as Trowa burst into laughter.

"Yeah, he did," Heero agreed. He paused a moment. "Thanks," he said quietly.

Trowa and Wufei both gave him slightly surprised looks. Quatre smiled warmly.

"Oh yeah," Duo waved his hand limply. "Sure. No problem. No problem at all."


	15. Epilogue

The air was thin and cold, like standing close to the outer wall of a colony, but no processed and recycled colony air was like this. Duo huffed a bit as he walked, wool hat low over his eyes, mittened hands shoved deep into the pockets of his heavy coat.

He and Heero had been loaded on stretchers and hauled off for a hospital stay--Duo was there longer as they worked to piece his ear and side back together--and then for some recuperation in the guest room of one of Quatre's Earthside estates while Quatre worked frantically to get Ahli some protection in the eyes of the ESUN.

It wasn't quite right yet--the ear, that is. A good plastic surgery or two would hide the scars that marred it, but it had to heal more before that happened. Duo was still deciding if he was actually going to fix it completely, but he had been unable to explain to Quatre and the doctors why exactly he was hesitating.

It had to do with not wanting to forget that bizarre week he had spent with two perfect soldiers, nor the threats they still faced, but he sounded downright idiotic when he tried to put it into words.

The path turned before him and he sighed, watching his booted feet so that he actually crashed right into Heero.

"What? Why did we stop?"

That amusement was back on his face. "We're here."

"Where?"

He sighed and nodded to Duo's right. Duo lifted his eyes then, and looked.

They were on a dirt path, narrow and steep. To their left was stone, to their right open, frigid air. A blanket of clouds was laid before and below him, so thick one could almost imagine standing upon them. And thrust through this brilliantly white blanket were the massive peaks of the Himalayas, going off as far as the eye could see, and as far as anyone could tell, on forever into the bright blue-ness of the sky.

Duo stared. He had been all over Earth and Space, but he had never seen anything quite like this. Expansive and eternal, both like and entirely unlike space itself. A place of unspeakable beauty and majesty.

A place where a man could find God.

He stared, mouth agape, until Heero ran his shoulder into him. Duo blinked and looked at him. "Okay. You were right."

There was a pattering and a small form squeezed between them. "It's so beautiful!" Ahli cried. "You almost feel you could walk to those other peaks!"

"I wouldn't try," Duo admitted as Heero put an arm around her in a gesture worthy of an uncle--or at least a Preventer-approved custodian. Approved, perhaps, until they reached the foot of the mountains, when Duo would see them off, and once again Heero Yuy would vanish off the grid, this time with a companion in tow.

Ahli giggled and slid her hand into Duo's. Ahead on the path the yak lowed impatiently, caring little for the view. "Look, you can see the colonies," she said, pointing at the pale blinking lights far above them. "Which one did you find me on?"

Duo scanned the sky; there was a sliver crescent low in the West. "Behind the moon," he said with an internal sigh. "L2 is always hiding out back there, up to no good."

Heero glanced at him.

"Are you going back there?" Ahli asked.

"Yeah," he sighed. "For a while, at least."

"You'll come back to see us, won't you?"

"Well, sure. That's what best friends, do, right?" he looked at Heero.

It was similar to the look he got when he tried out the word "friend" for the first time. But then he got a smile--not that smirky one either, but the real thing that softened his features and made him look like a real person. "Right," he said.

"Roger," said Ahli.

"I told you not to do that, Kid."

Heero snorted a laugh and went to check on the yak. Duo remained where he was, gazing once again at the remarkable view.

Far beyond, the moon slowly lowered until it vanished behind the mountains.

Owari


End file.
